PEN/Faulkner Award 2013: Complete list of winners

The PEN/Faulkner Award has long served as one of the literary world’s most prestigious honors for American fiction, celebrating writers who push the boundaries of the form and capture the complexity of American life. The 2013 PEN Faulkner Award proved no exception, recognizing works that resonated with readers and critics alike for their artistic merit and cultural significance. Named after William Faulkner himself, the award has cultivated a reputation for championing both established and emerging voices, making it a bellwether for serious fiction in any given year.

Benjamin Alire Sáenz claimed the 2013 fiction prize for his novel Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club, a work that exemplifies the award’s commitment to narratives that explore identity, community, and the human condition with unflinching honesty. Sáenz’s novel, set on the U.S.-Mexico border, weaves together interconnected stories that examine friendship, loss, and resilience against the backdrop of contemporary America. The selection underscores the PEN/Faulkner Award’s ongoing attention to writers working at the intersection of literary excellence and social consciousness.

Below, you’ll find the complete list of this year’s honorees and finalists:

Fiction

• Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club by Benjamin Alire Sáenz