Each year, writers and book lovers alike look forward to the unveiling of the National Book Awards winners, presented by the National Book Foundation.

This year was no different, as 2022 was a big year for books. The award finalists were revealed in October—five finalists in each category—before the winners were announced in a live awards ceremony on November 16, hosted by New York Times bestselling author and producer of Hulu’s celebrated docuseries Taste the Nation, Padma Lakshmi.