National Book Award 1965: Complete list of winners

The 1965 National Book Award marked a poignant moment in American literary history, bringing recognition to Theodore Roethke’s final collection, The Far Field, published after his death in 1963. Roethke had long been celebrated as one of the most innovative voices in twentieth-century American poetry, known for his intense exploration of nature, memory, and the self. This posthumous award felt like a final acknowledgment of his profound influence on the literary landscape, even as the nation mourned the loss of such a vital creative force just two years prior.

The National Book Award, established in 1950 to recognize the most distinguished American writing, had grown into one of the most prestigious honors a writer could receive by the mid-1960s. The 1965 awards reflected a moment of reflection on Roethke’s legacy, cementing The Far Field not just as a fitting capstone to his career, but as essential reading for understanding the arc of American modernist poetry. The collection’s focus on spiritual journeys and natural observation would continue to resonate with readers and influence generations of poets to come.

Below are the detailed winners from the 1965 National Book Award ceremony:

Poetry

• The Far Field(posth.) by Theodore Roethke