Kolkata-born Megha Majumdar’s second novel, “A Guardian and a Thief’ set to be out October 14, 2025, is on the prestigious list of Finalists for the US National Book Award. Her first novel, “A Burning” was longlisted for Fiction in 2020.
Majumdar is among 25 Finalists to contend for the National Book Awards in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature.
The book tells the story of two families in Kolkata: one searching for a stolen purse containing their immigration documents, and the other driven to thievery by desperation.
The Washington Post’s Ron Charles called Majumdar’s debut, “A Burning,” the must-read novel of summer 2020, when she first made the National Book Award list. And now her compelling saga based in Kolkata, has made it to the top American national award shortlist.
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Winners of the National Book Awards receive $10,000, a bronze medal, and statue; Finalists receive $1,000 and a bronze medal.
Information on the Nationalbook.org site, gives further details of events scheduled for the 2025 Finalists and Winners as follows:
The 2025 Finalists will read from their work at the National Book Awards Finalist Reading on the evening of Tuesday, November 18 at NYU Skirball, an annual, in-person, ticketed event that is open to the public and livestreamed for readers everywhere, a press release on nationalbook.org said.
Those interested in the Finalists Readings can procure the in-person tickets and register for the livestream at NYU Skirball’s website.
On the morning of the same day, Tuesday, November 18, the Finalists in Young People’s Literature connect with middle and high school students for Teens Read the 2025 National Book Awards.
The Winners in all the categories will be announced live on Wednesday, November 19 at the invitation-only 76th National Book Awards Ceremony & Benefit Dinner at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The National Book Foundation will livestream the Ceremony for readers everywhere. Those interested can register to watch on the Foundation’s website at nationalbook.org/awards.