PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction

The PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction awards $10,000 annually to the author of a distinguished book of nonfiction possessing notable literary merit and critical perspective that illuminates important contemporary issues. The book should possess the qualities of intellectual rigor and importance, perspicuity of expression, and stylistic elegance conspicuous in the writings of author and economist John Kenneth Galbraith, whose four dozen books and countless other publications continue to provide an important and incisive commentary on the American social, intellectual, and political scene.

All winners, finalists, and longlisted books are eligible to receive PEN America’s official emblems. If you are a publisher interested in obtaining a PEN America award emblem for use on a book cover, please write to [email protected]. 

For more information about PEN America’s Literary Awards, please visit our FAQ. 

2026 Winner

For a distinguished book of general nonfiction possessing notable literary merit and critical perspective that illuminates important contemporary issues.

Winner: Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, Peter Beinart (Alfred A. Knopf)

Judges: Reza Aslan, Beth C. Caldwell, Kelly Lytle Hernandez, Donovan X. Ramsey, Angela Saini

From the judges citation: “In Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza, Peter Beinart offers a model for writing a new story when inherited narratives no longer hold. His prose is marked by exceptional clarity, rendering complex moral questions accessible through personal reflection alongside meaningful engagement with theology and history. Stylistically restrained and uncompromising, the book stands as a brave and vital contribution to contemporary American intellectual life, challenging readers to reckon with the demands of justice, equity, and accountability in the face of one of the most consequential and divisive issues of our time.”

Eligibility

• A candidate’s work must have been published in the United States by a trade publisher between January 1 and December 31 of the current calendar year.
• Eligible books must be written by a single, living author.
• Candidates need NOT be U.S. citizens or residents.
• Memoir is eligible, so long as it possesses qualities of intellectual rigor and provides a critical perspective that illuminates important contemporary issues.
• Books submitted for this award may not be submitted for any additional PEN America Literary Awards, with the exception of the PEN Open Book Award. Please note that the PEN/Faulkner and PEN/Hemingway Awards are not considered PEN America Literary Awards.

NOT eligible:

• Biographies are not accepted.

Submission Guidelines

• All submitted books must be published by a trade or academic publisher between January 1 and December 31 of the current year. Self-published books are ineligible for the PEN America Literary Awards.
• Books with more than one original author are ineligible for the PEN America Literary Awards.
• PEN America will only accept submissions from publishers or literary agents. Authors may not submit their own books.
• Please be sure to select the award you are submitting to on the submission form.
• Submitting a book for multiple awards is allowed only in the case of the PEN Open Book Award. Please complete a separate submission for this award if applicable.
• Please submit verified email addresses on the submission form. Your order cannot be processed without an email address. Multiple addresses are essential so that we can get in touch directly if an author or translator is selected as a longlister, finalist, or winner.
• Upload a PDF file of the galley or final manuscript to the book submission form. Book award submissions will be read as PDF files. Please upload the file saved as BOOKTITLE_AUTHORNAME. For the judges’ ease of reading, please upload a book file WITHOUT watermarks. Each book file will remain confidential and is accessible only to the Literary Awards team and the awards judges. Please note that if a book is longlisted, PEN America may request physical copies for the judging panel.
• Upload a high-resolution image of the book cover. This will be used if the book is a longlister, finalist, or winner.
• Each submission is $85. Submission fees are not refundable. Please note that all payments must be made via the submission form.
• Submission fees may be waived for publishers whose annual net sales are less than $2 million. You may request an exemption here; a letter on company letterhead stating that the press’s annual net sales are less than $2 million is required. Do not submit your title before requesting your fee exemption, as the Literary Awards Team will provide you with an alternative submission method.
• Once a submitted book is received and reviewed for eligibility by PEN America, it will be passed along to the judges. Please add [email protected] to your address book, as it will be the main point of contact from PEN America.