Notable Books From the National Book Awards

Nonfiction Winner: Perry was born in Alabama, and while she’s spent much of her time in the North (she’s a professor of African American studies at Princeton and attended Harvard and Yale), her roots are in the Deep South, which she argues is the heart of the nation. “South to America” is a combination of an astute personal travelog and a scholarly sociological study of the South’s complicated relationship with race and more.

Nonfiction Finalist: The pandemic changed the world forever, but our understanding of COVID-19 is still evolving. Quammen’s (“The Tangled Tree”) reporting is one of the most comprehensive yet, based on copious research and nearly 100 interviews with scientists and virologists. “Breathless” looks back to the virus’ start and also to a future where it continues to adapt and spread. Free of politics, this scientific deep dive is educational and engrossing.

Finalist for Translated Literature (translated from Japanese): Tawada’s trilogy opener is set in a speculative world where Japan has disappeared. Hiruko, a Japanese refugee, embarks on a European pilgrimage with a colorful band of friends all in search of something important to their identity. For Hiruko, that means another person who still remembers the Japanese language. Tawada is on a roll: Her 2018 novel, “The Emissary,” won the National Book Award for Translated Literature.

Finalist for Young People’s Literature: Reyes’ touching story of coming into one’s own follows Yamilet “Yami” Flores, a Mexican American teenager recently enrolled in a predominantly white Catholic school. Still reeling from being outed by her ex-best friend, Yami is determined to keep her sexuality a secret from her new peers — and her mother. But her resolve wavers after meeting Bo, a pretty, smart, and openly gay classmate. “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School” teaches us how to embrace our truth and celebrate our identities.