The Great Believers, Heavy: An American Memoir, receive 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction

The American Library Association (ALA) selects “The Great Believers,” by Rebecca Makkai, published by Viking, as the winner of the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, and “Heavy: An American Memoir,” by Kiese Laymon, published by Scribner, as the winner of the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. The selections were announced this evening at the Reference and User Services Association’s Book and Media Awards (BMAs) sponsored by NoveList, during the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Washington.

The awards, established in 2012, serve as a guide to help adults select quality reading material. They are the first single-book awards for adult books given by the American Library Association and reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals and booksellers who work closely with adult readers.

Read the full release at the A.L.A. web site.

Congratulations to Rebecca Makkai, whose winning book is our March 2019 Book of the Month! To read more, visit our Book of the Month page.