The annual John Dos Passos Prize for Literature honors the country’s most talented fiction writers for career-long contributions to the genre. First launched in 1980, the prize is the oldest literary award given by a Virginia college or university. And Longwood U—the award’s esteemed host—specifically aims to celebrate writers whose work “offers incisive, original commentary on American themes.”

This year’s shortlist recognizes five thrilling authors, whose books all navigate uniquely American conundrums. Without further ado, here are the finalists. (Along with some selected works!)

Gish Jen 

An NEA, Guggenheim, and Radcliffe fellow, Jen’s books include The Resisters, and Bad Bad Girl.

Lindsey Drager

Winner of the 2022 Bard Fiction Prize, Drager’s books include The Archive of Ultimate Endings and The Sorrow Proper.

Eugene Lim

Lim is the publisher of Ellipsis Press and a Hunter College High librarian. His books include Search History and Dear Cyborgs.

Chinelo Okparanta

The winner of two previous Lambda Literary Awards, Okparanta’s books include Happiness, Like Water and Harry Sylvester Bird.

Ayana Mathis

A current Princeton Hodder fellow, Mathis’ books include The Twelve Tribes of Hattie and The Unsettled.

Previous Dos Passos award recipients include Maxine Hong Kingston (1998), Colson Whitehead (2012), Ruth Ozeki (2014), Paul Beatty (2015), and Karen Tei Yamashita (2018). The winner of this year’s prize will be announced in December.

Congratulations to all these American heroes!