The Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction, established in 1980, is a category of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Works are eligible during the year of their first US publication in English, though they may be written originally in languages other than English.
The prize is recognized as one of the most prestigious literary honors in the Western United States and an important indicator of both literary excellence and emerging talent. The winner in the Fiction category receives a cash award of US$1,000 along with a distinct trophy.
Recipients +Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction winners and finalistsYearAuthorTitleResultRef.1980WinnerBellefleurFinalistDarkness VisibleSmiley's People1981WinnerDadFinalistEllis Island and Other StoriesZuckerman Unbound1982WinnerFinalistDinner at the Homesick RestaurantSixty Stories1983Schindler's ArkWinnerChronicle of a Death ForetoldFinalist1984WinnerDemocracyFinalistHim With His Foot in His Mouth and Other StoriesStones for Ibarra1985Love MedicineWinnerAnnie JohnFinalistEmpire of the SunHotel du LacSlow Dancing1986WinnerFinalistLake Wobegon Days1987Fools CrowWinnerOf Love and ShadowsFinalistThat NightYou Must Remember This1988Love in the Time of CholeraWinnerFinalistLibraMoon TigerShowdown1989Winner and Bernard MolloyFinalistMidnight SweetsMother's Girl1990Lantern SlidesWinner and Martha AveryBaotownFinalistFriend of My YouthOrdinary Love and Good Will: Two NovellasReaching Tin River1991White PeopleWinnerFinalistAge of IronWoman Hollering Creek and Other Stories1992Maus II, A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles BeganWinnerA Thousand AcresFinalistDaughtersLet the Dead Bury Their Dead: StoriesTime and Tide1993Pigs in HeavenWinnerFor LoveFinalistRameau's NieceThe Burning Glass: StoriesWilliam Trevor: The Collected Stories1994Remembering BabylonWinnerHolder of the WorldFinalistThe Rifles: Volume 6 of the Seven Dreams sequenceThe SoloistWhile England Sleeps1995The Blue AfternoonWinnerAlbion's StoryFinalistFelicia's JourneyOpen Secrets: StoriesTrinity Fields1996A Fine BalanceWinnerAbout SchmidtFinalistEvery Man for HimselfOpen HeartSanta EvitaShip Fever and Other StoriesThe Ghost RoadTree of Heaven1997In the Rogue BloodWinnerCalifornia's OverFinalistReading in the DarkThe Ordinary Seaman and Carol Brown JanewayThe Reader1998 with Michael Hulse ()The Rings of SaturnWinnerDeath in SummerFinalistEveningFreedomlandI Married a Communist1999Freedom Song: Three NovelsWinnerClose Range: Wyoming StoriesFinalistHouse of Sand and FogPlainsongWaiting2000Assorted Fire EventsWinnerEqual LoveFinalistThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & ClayThe Human StainThe Quick and the Dead2001Why Did I EverWinnerBy the SeaFinalistHateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: StoriesJohn Henry DaysThe Corrections2002AtonementWinnerFinalistMoral HazardNowhere ManTourmaline2003TrainWinnerJameslandFinalistOld SchoolTen Little Indians2004WinnerFinalistGileadGraceLandHonored Guest: Stories2005 with Edith Grossman ()Memories of My Melancholy WhoresWinnerKafka on the ShoreFinalistVeronica2006 with Hillel Halkin ()WinnerBlack Swan GreenFinalistWinter's Bone2007Be Near MeWinnerFinalistLast Night at the LobsterOut Stealing Horses2008HomeWinnerLush LifeFinalist2009WinnerBlameFinalistHeroic Measures2010WinnerDay for NightFinalistFreedomNashville ChromeSomething Is Out There: Stories2011LuminariumWinnerBinocular Vision: New & Selected StoriesFinalistGhost Light2012Billy Lynn's Long Halftime WalkWinnerArcadiaFinalistMagnificenceTelegraph Avenue2013WinnerFinalistPercival Everett by Virgil RussellSpectacle: Stories2014WinnerBoy, Snow, BirdFinalistDept. of SpeculationSilence Once Begun2015WinnerBeautiful BureaucratFinalistDelicious FoodsFortune Smiles2016Imagine Me GoneWinnerInnocents and OthersFinalistSweet Lamb of HeavenSwing TimeWhat Belongs to You2017Exit WestWinnerFinalist with Srinath Perur ()Ghachar GhocharSing, Unburied, Sing2018WinnerTayari JonesFinalistMichael OndaatjeWarlightEsi EdugyanWashington BlackAbby GeniThe Wildlands2019The Topeka SchoolWinnerFinalistStay and FightWe, the Survivors2020 with Anna Moschovakis ()At Night All Blood Is BlackWinnerFinalistSarah Shun-lien BynumLikesWhat Happens at Night2021In the Company of MenWinnerAmerican EstrangementFinalist with Megan McDowell ()HarrowI Love You But I've Chosen Darkness2022 with Sean Cotter ()SolenoidWinnerExaltedFinalist Didn't Nobody Give a S— What Happened to CarlottaThe Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories ( by Sophie Hughes)Paradais2023Same Bed Different DreamsWinnerLoved and MissedFinalistWednesday's ChildBlackouts2024Jennine Capó CrucetSay Hello to My Little Friend: A NovelWinnerRita BullwinkelHeadshotFinalistPercival EverettJamesMiranda JulyAll FoursYuri HerreraSeason of the Swamp2025Bryan WashingtonPalaver: A NovelWinner"L.A. Times Book Prize honorees named — many celebrate resistance: 'When people rise, empires always fall'" by Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, April 17, 2026.Stephen Graham JonesFinalistMia McKenzieThese Heathens: A NovelAndrés Felipe Solano ( by Will Vanderhyden)Gloria: A NovelTod GoldbergOnly Way Out
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