The NBCC awards the Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing each year to recognize outstanding work by a member of the NBCC. The citation is awarded in honor of Nona Balakian, a founding member of the National Book Critics Circle, where she served as the board’s first secretary. The eminent critic and longtime editor at the New York Times Book Review also served on the Pulitzer Prize committee, the Board of Directors of PEN, and the Authors Guild board, was the author of Critical Encounters: Essays (1978), and co-author (with Charles Simmons) of The Creative Present (1969).
You must be a member of the NBCC to be considered. If you are not a member, you can join online before December 10, 2018 in order to be eligible for the award. All submitted reviews must have been published in 2018.
Since 2012, the Balakian Citation carries with it a $1,000 cash prize, thanks to the generosity of board member Gregg Barrios. Nominees for the Balakian Award may submit up to 5 book reviews for a total of 5000 words. The deadline is Monday, December 10. Compete guidelines are HERE.