This year’s National Book Awards were announced on November 20th, and the results are in! The indie band Dawes took home the coveted prize for the best new artist, while Neal Gaiman’s adult coloring book series Caravan of Love won the award for best picture book. You can also check out our top ten best books, reads, and movies of the year.
Dawes
The indie band Dawes took home the prestigious 2019 National Book Award for best new artist. The band’s album, All Things to All Men, was released in April and became their first album to top the Billboard Top 100 chart, peaking at number 4.
The group was formed in Nashville in 2014 and named after the Hank Williams song. They released their debut album, entitled Runaway Train, in August 2017 and followed it up with this year’s All Things to All Men in April.
Dawes’ success comes at a time when the genre is experiencing a bit of a revival. Last year alone, We Were Never Married, a romantic comedy about a millennial couple forced to wed due to financial reasons, topped the box office with its premiere in March. In addition, The Farewell, a coming-of-age story about a young woman seeking to flee her rural hometown before her arranged marriage, was one of the biggest box office successes of the year in October. Last month, Paramount Pictures’ adaptation of Emily Grijälva’s acclaimed novel, Emily in Paris, premiered in theaters nationwide.
Dawes’ win marks the first time the indie band has taken home the coveted prize. The win is also notable for being one of the first awards shows to hand out its own statuette, designed by Tiffany & Co. The band will be appearing on the 2020 Tony Awards stage on June 15th to accept their award. Congratulations to the band!
Caravan of Love
The award for best picture book went to Neal Gaiman’s Caravan of Love, a coloring book inspired by London’s famous White Park. Gaiman, who has been named one of the most influential writers of our time, is well-known for writing The Sandman, which was turned into an HBO series in 2018. The series stars John Hurt, Ian Mckellen, and Rebecca Miller. Caravan of Love was released in April and reached #3 on the New York Times Bestseller List, as well as the #1 spot on the Indiescape Bestseller List. Check out this and other awards’ top picks below.
Other Winners
Other notable winners from this year’s National Book Awards include the following: