The Los Angeles Times has announced the finalists for the 45th Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, celebrating literary excellence across multiple genres. This year’s list features renowned authors, screenwriters, and even actors, with Andrew Garfield, Percival Everett, and Attica Locke among the 61 nominees competing in over a dozen categories.
Audiobook Category Highlights Hollywood Talent
One of the most notable categories is audiobook production, which debuted last year in collaboration with Audible. Among the finalists are actors Andrew Garfield and Matt Bomer, recognized for their narration of George Orwell’s 1984 and James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room, respectively. Other celebrated nominees in this category include Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and Tom Hardy, highlighting the growing intersection between film and literature.
Recognizing Outstanding Literary Works
Among the most talked-about books of 2024, several standout titles have made it to the finals. Ta-Nehisi Coates is a nominee in the current interest category, joined by Jesse Katz for his investigative work, The Rent Collectors: Exploitation, Murder, and Redemption in Immigrant LA. Additionally, filmmaker and writer Miranda July, known for her film Kajillionaire, is a finalist in fiction for All Fours.
Other notable finalists include:
- Rita Bullwinkel (Headshot: A Novel)
- Jennine Capó Crucet (Say Hello to My Little Friend: A Novel)
- Percival Everett (James: A Novel)
- Yuri Herrera, translated by Lisa Dillman (Season of the Swamp: A Novel)
Special Awards Honoring Literary Contributions
Several distinguished writers will receive special honors at the awards ceremony on April 25, hosted at USC’s Bovard Auditorium ahead of the 30th Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.
- Amanda Gorman will be honored with the Innovator’s Award, recognizing her contributions to poetry and storytelling. Gorman, who gained international recognition after reciting The Hill We Climb at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, continues to advocate for literacy and social change.
- Pico Iyer will receive the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement, acknowledging his literary impact and deep connection to the American West. His latest work, Aflame: Learning From Silence, explores meditation and personal resilience.
- Emily Witt will be awarded the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose for Health and Safety: A Breakdown, a memoir delving into her experiences with psychedelics and the New York City nightlife scene.
