NBDB releases list of finalists for 41st National Book Awards

File photo of books REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

MANILA, Philippines — The National Book Development Board (NBDB) has released its lists of finalists for the 41st National Book Awards.

“For this cycle of the National Book Awards, a total of 235 titles were submitted across 34 categories consisting of 7 languages: Filipino, English, Bikol, Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Tausug, and Waray,” the NBDB said in its release on Monday.

235 titles were submitted across 34 categories, spanning seven languages: English, Filipino, Binisaya, Bikol, Hiligaynon, Tausug, and Waray.

The awarding of the winners will be in February 2024.

Literary Division

Best Novel in English

• The Collaborators: A Novel – Katrina Tuvera
• Yñiga: A Novel – Glenn Diaz

Best Novel in Filipino

• Andrea: Oyayi sa Daluyong – Rom Factolerin
• El Arbol de Alegria: Southern Quartet I – RM Topacio-Aplaon
• Ang Bangin sa Ilalim ng Ating mga Paa – Ronald Vivo Jr.
• Ubusán ng Bida – Klaro de Asis

Best Book of Short Fiction in English

• Armor: Stories – John Bengan
• Laut: Stories – Sigrid Marianne Gayangos
• A Playlist for the End of the World – Gabriela Lee
• Seek ye Whore and Other Stories – Yvette Tan
• Song of the Mango and Other New Myths – Vida Cruz-Borja

Best Book of Short Fiction in Filipino

• (Ano) – Zero A. D.
• Ang Buang ng Bayan: Mga Maikling Kuwento – Rowena P. Festin
• Ang Kompendio ng mga Imposibleng Bagay – Carlo Paulo Pacolor
• Pangontra – Allan M. Derain
• Tatlong Larawan at iba pang maikling kuwento – U.Z Eliserio

Best Book of Nonfiction in English

• Brief Histories: Essays – Don Jaucian
• Even Ducks Get Liver Cancer and other medical misadventures – Wilfredo Liangco
• The Holy Wife: Stories of Extraordinary Love – Ting Pantoja-Mañalac
• Lost Graves, Found Lives: A History and Memoir – Agapito Labalan del Rosario and Rosario Cruz-Lucero
• Rodolfo Biazon: Soldier, Solon, Statesman – Eric Ramos

Best Book of Nonfiction in Filipino

• Mga Anting-Anting sa Sabong – Bobby V. Villagracia
• Distrungka – Emmanuel T. Barrameda
• Kumusta, 2020? Alaala ng Isang Alalay – Vim Nadera
• Pasasaan – Jesus Aman Calvario
• Saglit: Alaala’t Muni – Rofel G. Brion

Best Anthology in English

• Deck the Halls Volume One: A Christmas-Themed Crime Fiction Anthology – Mark Manalang, Yeyet Soriano, John Lawrence
• Viloria Calano, Allene Allanigue, Tina Alfonso, Shayne A. Martinez, and Dan C. De Guzman
• Growing Up Filipino 3 – Cecila Manguerra Brainard (Ed.)
• Kalandrakas Part 1, 1890-1945: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990 and Kalandrakas Part 2, 1946-
• 1990: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990 – Ricardo M. De Ungria (Ed.)
• The Lives of A Filipino Student: Anthology of Personal Essays on High School in the Philippines – Rolando B. Tolentino,
• Joselito D. Delos Reyes, and Fernando Pisigan Jarin (Eds.)

Best Anthology in Filipino

• Himaya: Panitikan ng Pagbabanyuhay – Joyce L. Arriola (Ed.)
• Kung Bakit Walang Demonyo sa Malabog – Abdon M. Balde Jr.
• Mga Nagwaging Akda: Gawad Bienvenido Lumbera NCLA National Literary Contest 2022 – Nile Jordan D. Breis and Merdeka De La Cruz Morales (Eds.)
• Plus/+ at Iba Plus Maramihan: New Philippine Nonfiction on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities – Rolando B. Tolentino and Chuckberry J. Pascual
• Rurok: Comics & Art Anthology – Paolo Herras (Ed.)

Best Book of Literary Criticism/Cultural Studies

• Himaymay: Approaches to Philippine Literature – Priscilla N. Macansantos (Ed.)
• Hulagway: Bahay ng Salita (Balai ng Gunita) – Floraime Oliveros Pantaleta (Ed.)
• Isang Dalumat ng Panahon –  Christian Jil R. Benitez
• Sining at Kamalayang Pilipino na Maka-Tao – Nicanor M. Tiongson (Ed.)

Best Book on Media Studies

• Abangan: Mga Pambungad na Resepsiyon sa Kultura ng Teleserye – Louie John A. Sanchez
• Alternative Cinema: The Unchronicled History of Alternative Cinema in the Philippines – Nick Deocampo
• Keeping Memories: Cinema and Archiving in the Asia-Pacific – Nick Deocampo (Ed.)

Best Book of Poetry in English

• All My Distances Point to Home – King Llanza
• The Broken Places: Poems – Teddy Griarte Espela
• Coming home to the Island: Poems – Arlene J. Yandug
• Mass at the Edge of the Morning – Simeon Dumdum Jr.
• What Comes After: Poems – Eliza Victoria

Best Book of Poetry in Filipino

• Ang Kartograpiya ng Pagguho: Mga Tula – Ralph Fonte
• Mga Luwa at Iba Pang Tula – Jose A. Badillo
• Pasalubong – Maria Rilkë Arguelles
• Sa Ika-ilang Sirkulo ng Impiyerno- Miguel Paolo Celestial
• Sa Pagitan ng mga Emerhensiya – Rosmon Tuazon

Best Book of Graphic Novel and Comics in English

• Death Be Damned – Written by Mike Alcazaren, Noel Pascual, and AJ Bernardo; Illustrated by AJ Bernardo and Josel Nicolas
• Godhark: Book One The Sanguine Storm – Written and illustrated by Sean Kyle Manaloto

Best Book of Graphic Novel and Comics in Filipino

• Duty Ka Ba? Mga Kuwentong Hugot Mula sa Cardiovascular System Written and illustrated by Tepai Pascual
  Josefina – Written and illustrated by Ace C. Enriquez
• The Terror Prof – Written and illustrated by Manix Abrera
• Unang Enkantada – Written by Al Santos and illustrated by Jap Mikel
• Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila – Written and illustrated by Carlo Vergara

Best Translated Book in English

• It’s a Men’s World – Written by Bebang Siy, translated by Ken Ishikawa
• Selected Poems and Interviews – Written by Kristian Sendon Cordero, translated by Marne L. Kilates, Frank V. Peñones Jr., and Mikael De Lara Co

Best Translated Book in Filipino

• Ilustrado – Written by Miguel Syjuco, translated by Chuckberry J. Pascual
• Nasa Puso ang Amerika (America is in the Heart) – Written by Carlos Bulosan, translated by Jovianne G. Figueroa
• Pag-ibig sa Panahon ng Kolera (Love in the Time of Cholera) – Written by Gabriel Garcia Márquez, translated by John Jack Wigley

Best Translated Book in Hiligaynon

• Nada – Written by Carmen Laforet, translated by Alice M. Sun-Cua

Best Translated Book in Tausug

• Sarena’s Story (Suy-Suy ni Sarena): The Loss of a Kingdom (In Panglawa’ sin Hambuuk Sultaniyya) – Written by Criselda Yabes, translated by Doc Benj Bangahan

Best Translated Book in Waray

• GIMATA: Mga Siday ha Waray Nga May Mga Hubad Nga Inglis – Written by Victor N. Sugbo, translated by the National Commission for Literature and the Arts

Best Book on Drama and Film

• Huni at Pakpak: Mga Dula, mga Sanaysay – Luna Sicat-Cleto
• Nothing Deep – Richard Bolisay
• Pilipinas Kong Mahal with All the Overcoat at iba pang mga dula – Eljay Castro Deldoc

Best Novel in Binisaya

• Arkipelago: Nobela – Januar Yap
• Ang Dagaday sa Panahong Nanglabay – Melchor M. Morante

Best Book of Short Fiction in Binisaya

• Dili Pwede Mogawas ug Ubang Mga Sugilanon (Can’t Go Out and Other Stories)  – Elizabeth Joy Serrano-Quijano
• Matag Adlaw: Mga Sugilanon – Januar Yap

Best Anthology in Binisaya

• Kinhas: Mga Sinwat sa Sinultihan sang Santa Fe, Isla sang Bantayan – Jessrel Escaran Gilbuena (Ed.)
• Sinug-Ang: A Cebuano Trio – Erlinda Alburo, Ester Tapia, and Corazon Almerino

Best Book of Poetry in Binisaya

• Ang Nakayatak kay Nayatakan (Who Steps Upon is Stepped Upon) – Adonis Durado

Non-Literary Division

Best Book on Art

• Felix Mago Miguel: The Art of Book Design – Amelia F. Zubiri Miguel
• Heritage Churches of the Cagayan River Basin – Javier Gálvan Guijo
• Julio Nakpil (1867-1960) Collected Works Volume 1: Piano, Vocal, and Chamber Music – Maria Alexandro Iñigo Chua (Ed.)
• Maceda, Spahlinger and the Dialectics of a “New Music” Praxis in Southeast Asian Modernity – Jonas Baes
• Tales from a Drawing Table – Mark Lewis Lim Higgins

Best Book in the Social Sciences

• Ayta: Voices of Sustainability from the Margins – Emiliano Q. Ibera III
• Indigenous Archaeology in the Philippines: Decolonizing Ifugao History – Stephen B. Acabado and Marlon M. Martin
• International Studies in the Philippines: Mapping New Frontiers in Theory and Practice – Frances Antoinette Cruz and Nassef Manabilang Adiong (Eds.)
• Patronage Democracy in the Philippines: Clans, Clients, and Competition in Local Elections – Julio C. Teehankee and Cleo Anne A. Calimbahin (Eds.)
• Transfiguring Mindanao: A Mindanao Reader – Jose Jowel Canuday and Joselito Sescon (Eds.)

Best Book in Philosophy

• Doing Philosophy in the Philippines: The Thomasian Collection (1951-1959) Volume II – Alfredo P. Co (Ed.)
• Life-times of Becoming Human – Neferti X. M. Tadiar

Best Book on History

• Bullfighting in the Philippines 1602-2022 – Gaspar A. Vibal
• The Chinese Mestizos of Cebu City 1750-1900 – Michael Cullinane
• Colonialism and Modernity: Re-Mapping Philippine Histories – Oscar V. Campomanes, Nobutaka Suzuki, and Yoshiko Nagano (Eds.)
• The Marcos Era: A Reader – Leia Castañeda Anastacio and Patricio N. Abinales (Eds.)
• Moro Warrior: Philippine Chieftain, an American Schoolmaster, and the Untold Story of the Most Remarkable Resistance
• Fighters of the Pacific War – Thomas McKenna

Best Book on Humor, Sports, Lifestyle, and Business

• Fighters for Life: Turning Challenges Into Opportunities Series 1 – Virginia Dulay-Akiate
• The Quality Management System & Total Quality Management: Principles, Methods, and Applications – Jay Sario
• Strategy in the New Age of Capitalism: Collaborative and Inclusive Approaches to Value Creation – Niceto S. Poblador
• The You-have-to-go-through-a-lot-of crap to-get-to-good-ideas book – David Guerrero

Best Book on Food

• Filipino Vegan: Recipes and Stories to Stir up Filipino Flavors and Perspectives – RG Enriquez-Diez
• Flavors of Iloilo – Rafael J. Jardeleza Jr.
• My Ranaw Kitchen Lab: Food for Peace in Muslim Mindanao – Assad Baunto

Best Book on Science

• Between the Coral Tides: A Natural History of Philippine Shores – Benjamin M. Vallejo Jr.
• The Role of Reforestation in Forest Landscape Restoration and Conservation in the Island Municipality of Pilar, Camotes, Cebu – Gurialdo C. Fernandez Jr. and Marlito M. Bande

Best Book on Spirituality and Theology

• The Islands of Faith: Crossroads of Mission – Andrew Gimenez-Recepcion

Best Book in Professions

• Raising Quality Education in the Philippines: Selected Speeches and Writings – Fr. Joel S. Tabora, SJ

Best Book in Journalism

• Duterte Watch: Descent into Authoritarianism Collected Commentaries – Vergel O. Santos

Design

Best Book Design

• The Demo Versions: Music, Criticism, Autobiography – Aldus Santos, designed by Mara Rivera
• Ilustrado – Miguel Syjuco, translated by Chuckberry J. Pascual, designed by Sam Immanuel R. Macaisa and Jhozelle M. Crooc
• LOVE TEAM: Love Letters from a Broken World – Alan Navarra, designed by Shopping Libertad
• Tales from a Drawing Table – Mark Lewis Lim Higgins, designed by Efren Prieto
• Transfiguring Mindanao: A Mindanao Reader – Jose Jowel Canuday and Joselito Sescon (Eds.), designed by Karl Castro

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