PEN/Jean Stein Book Award

PEN/Jean Stein Book Award was a major American literary prize administered by PEN America. Established in 2017, it was one of the most financially significant awards in American literature, offering a substantial monetary prize to honor a book-length work of any genre for its originality, merit, and impact. The award was created through a generous endowment from the estate of author and oral historian Jean Stein and was presented annually until its conclusion in 2024. It was distinguished by its broad eligibility, considering works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and other forms that demonstrated literary excellence and ambitious scope.

History and background

The award was established in 2017 following a landmark gift from the estate of Jean Stein, a renowned author, editor, and oral historian known for works like Edie: American Girl and West of Eden. Her endowment to PEN America was intended to create a lasting legacy that would support and celebrate transformative literary art. The award was conceived as a successor in spirit and prestige to the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, which had previously been sponsored by the Folger Shakespeare Library. Its creation reflected a significant moment in the philanthropic support of the literary arts within the United States, providing one of the largest cash prizes for a single book. The award was presented for eight annual cycles, with the final award being given in 2024, after which the endowment was redirected by the Stein estate to support other literary initiatives.

Award categories and criteria

Unlike many literary prizes restricted by genre, this award was uniquely open to book-length works of any category, including but not limited to novels, short story collections, memoirs, biographies, works of poetry, and experimental forms. The core criteria were originality, merit, and impact, with a stated preference for works that broke new ground or offered a transformative perspective. Eligible books had to be written in English and published in the United States within the calendar year preceding the award announcement. This expansive framework allowed for the recognition of a diverse array of literary achievements, from groundbreaking nonfiction to innovative fiction, that might otherwise fall between the categories of more traditional awards like the National Book Award or the Pulitzer Prize.

Notable winners and works

The award quickly gained a reputation for honoring critically acclaimed and often formally adventurous works. The inaugural winner in 2017 was Moshin Hamid for his novel Exit West, a magical realist story of refugees and migration that garnered widespread international praise. Subsequent winners included Rebecca Solnit for her essay collection Call Them by Their True Names in 2018, and Ben Lerner for his novel The Topeka School in 2020, which also won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. In 2022, the award was presented to Meghan O'Rourke for her hybrid memoir of illness and diagnosis, The Invisible Kingdom. The final winner in 2024 was Christine Smallwood for her novel The Life of the Mind. The list of winners reflects the award's commitment to recognizing influential voices across the contemporary literary landscape.

Selection process and jury

The selection process was overseen by PEN America's Literary Awards program. Each year, a panel of three distinguished jurors—typically comprising writers, editors, and critics—was appointed to evaluate submissions from publishers and determine the winner. The jury operated independently, reviewing eligible titles through a process of nomination and deliberation. Their mandate was to identify the single work that best exemplified the award's criteria of originality, merit, and impact. The identity of the jury was usually announced concurrently with the call for submissions, and the jury's decision was final. This peer-review model aligned with the practices of other prestigious awards administered by PEN America, such as the PEN/Hemingway Award and the PEN Open Book Award.

Impact and significance

During its tenure, the award had a considerable impact on the literary world, both for the substantial financial support it provided to authors and for the significant prestige it conferred upon the winning works. The large monetary prize often brought greater public and critical attention to the honored books, influencing sales and scholarly discourse. By championing genre-defying and ambitious projects, the award played a vital role in promoting literary innovation and diversity within American publishing. Its conclusion in 2024 marked the end of a notable chapter in literary patronage, though the works it recognized continue to hold an important place in contemporary literature. The award's legacy endures through the celebrated authors and transformative texts it elevated during its eight-year history.

Category:American literary awards Category:PEN America awards Category:Literary awards established in 2017 Category:Disestablished literary awards