Living Canon

National Book Award 1938: Complete list of winners

The National Book Award’s early years captured something distinctly American: a hunger for stories that moved beyond the familiar. The 1938 National Book Award winners exemplify this spirit, with the nonfiction category celebrating writers who ventured into uncharted territory—both literal and literary. David Fairchild’s The World Was My Garden: Travels of a Plant Explorer stands as a testament to the golden age of botanical adventure, documenting a life spent pursuing botanical specimens across continents. Alongside Fairchild’s globe-trotting narrative, the award honored works that brought satirical edge and intimate observation to the page, proving that nonfiction in this era could be as entertaining as it was enlightening.

What strikes us about this particular year is how the award’s judges seemed drawn to writers unafraid to let their personalities shine through their prose. Whether chronicling expeditions, dispensing sharp social commentary, or capturing the intimate details of personal experience, the 1938 winners showcase the breadth of nonfiction during a period when the National Book Award—still establishing itself as a major force in American letters—was defining what kinds of stories deserved national recognition. These selections reveal readers and critics of the late 1930s were eager for authenticity, humor, and the kind of vivid storytelling that made the world feel both bigger and more knowable.

Below, discover the complete list of 1938 National Book Award winners and honorees:

Nonfiction