The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) announced the winners of the ninth annual Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize on Monday. Lamya H has won the Nonfiction Prize for Hijab Butch Blues and Catherine Lacey has claimed the Fiction Prize for Biography of X. The Prize recognizes writing that captures the spirit of Brooklyn and is selected by both librarians and staff, drawing on their deep knowledge of literature, contemporary writing, and the community.
“Both of the 2023 Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize winners have written daring, genre-defying works. Through a story of love, art, and grief in New York City, Catherine Lacey’s audacious new novel prompts us to question reality. While Lamya H’s funny and poignant memoir is a palimpsest of stories about being brown, Muslim and queer in the Middle East and here in New York,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library in a press release. “We commend these extraordinarily talented writers and their fellow nominees as well as the librarians and staff who champion free and easy access to diverse and inclusive literature all year long.”
In Biography of X, Catherine Lacey introduces us to a widow intent on setting the record straight about her deceased wife, along the way taking the reader on an extraordinary journey. “I'm very grateful for this support from the staff and readers at the Brooklyn Public Library, especially as we find ourselves in this recurrent struggle with censorship and book banning and a baseless fear of queer narratives,” said Lacey.
In her memoir, Hijab Butch Blues, Lamya H, shares her quest for community and belonging as a queer, devout Muslim immigrant. “I'm so thrilled to receive the BPL prize for Hijab Butch Blues. Libraries have been such a big part of my immigrant experience. I grew up in a country without public libraries, and when I came to the US, it floored me that I could access any book that I wanted... It is truly a honor to win this prize, selected by BPL librarians, staff and judges who I respect and appreciate so much,” said Lamya H.
The 2023 shortlist also included Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah and Yellowface by R.F. Kuang in the fiction category and Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced An Emergency by Chen Chen and Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation by Linda Villarosa in the nonfiction category.
“All six of the shortlisted books broke boundaries and gave voice to a range of stories and lived experiences. The two winners of this year's prize both ask that readers push their preconceived notions of identity and how stories can shape us," said Librarian Jess Harwick, BPL Book Prize Chair.
To borrow one of the winning selections, visit the Brooklyn Public Library.
