Lebanese Author Claims Prestigious Fiction Prize with Family Saga
In a ceremony that blended literary celebration with political commentary, Rabih Alameddine secured the 2025 National Book Award for fiction for his novel The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother). The darkly comic epic traces six decades in the life of a Lebanese family, exploring themes of identity, homeland, and personal history through the eyes of its gay protagonist, a 63-year-old philosophy teacher confronting his past.
The award ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street witnessed Alameddine's characteristic irreverence as he accepted the honour. True to his unconventional style, the author thanked his psychiatrist, gastrointestinal specialists, and even his drug dealers during his acceptance speech, quipping "I shouldn't say more about that" to audience laughter.
Political Statements Dominate Acceptance Speeches
Beyond the humour, Alameddine delivered a powerful political message that resonated throughout the literary community. He described watching two disturbing videos earlier that day - one showing an ICE agent zapping a zip-tied woman with a stun gun before disposing of her "like garbage", and another depicting the aftermath of a bombed Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon that claimed twelve lives.
"They make a desolation and call it a ceasefire," Alameddine declared. "Sometimes, as writers, we have to say: enough."
His speech set the tone for an evening where multiple winners used their platform to address global conflicts and humanitarian crises. The ceremony transformed from mere awards recognition into a forum for political engagement and social commentary.
Other Winners Echo Political Themes
The non-fiction category saw Omar El Akkad honoured for One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, a treatise examining Western responses to Israel's war on Gaza. The Egyptian-Canadian author expressed difficulty celebrating his achievement given the context of his work.
"It's very difficult to think in celebratory terms about a book that was written in response to a genocide," El Akkad stated. "When I know my tax money is doing this, and that many of my elected representatives happily support it."
Other notable winners included:
- Gabriela Cabezón Cámara winning the translated literature award for We Are Green and Trembling, translated by Robin Myers
- Daniel Nayeri securing the young people's literature prize for The Teacher of Nomad Land
- Patricia Smith claiming the poetry award for The Intentions of Thunder
Each category winner received a $10,000 prize, with three authors receiving their first National Book Award recognition.
Lifetime Achievement Honours and Closing Thoughts
The ceremony also featured previously announced lifetime achievement awards presented to Roxane Gay and George Saunders. Saunders delivered an inspiring speech about the power of writing to challenge authoritarian certainty.
"Bullies, autocrats, zealots ... they always know. They're completely sure," Saunders observed. "But we artists ... have an advantage over autocrats because [we're] in that not-knowing state. This puts us in a less delusional relationship with reality."
The 2025 National Book Awards will be remembered not only for celebrating literary excellence but for demonstrating literature's enduring role in confronting difficult truths and speaking against injustice. As Alameddine's speech emphasised, sometimes writers must use their platform to declare when enough is enough.
