National Book Award 1935: Complete list of winners

The National Book Award in 1935 marked an intriguing moment in American literary recognition, when the newly established honor bestowed its nonfiction prize on Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s North to the Orient. Lindbergh’s vivid account of her aerial expedition across Asia with her husband Charles already commanded wide readership, but the National Book Award’s recognition cemented its status as a significant work of the era. The award itself, still in its relative infancy, was finding its footing as a gauge of literary merit and cultural importance—and in choosing a firsthand narrative of exploration and discovery, the judges signaled their interest in works that captured the spirit of American adventure and scientific curiosity.

What makes Lindbergh’s win particularly noteworthy is how it reflects the National Book Award’s early commitment to nonfiction that reached beyond academic or scholarly circles. North to the Orient isn’t a dry expedition log but rather a deeply personal, beautifully written meditation on travel, marriage, and pushing the boundaries of human experience. The book resonated with readers who hungered for accounts of daring exploration rendered in elegant prose—a combination that would influence the National Book Award’s approach to nonfiction for years to come.

Below, you’ll find the complete list of the 1935 National Book Award winners and finalists, along with details about what made this year’s selections significant for the award’s developing legacy.

Nonfiction

• North to the Orient by Anne Morrow Lindbergh