PEN/Faulkner Award 2023: Complete list of winners

The PEN/Faulkner Award has long served as one of the literary world’s most prestigious honors, celebrating the finest fiction by American writers regardless of commercial success. This year’s 2023 PEN/Faulkner Award Fiction winner, The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li, exemplifies the award’s commitment to recognizing ambitious, beautifully crafted work that might otherwise be overshadowed in the marketplace. Li’s novel—a haunting exploration of female friendship, betrayal, and the stories we tell ourselves—marks a significant moment for the award, which has historically championed writers pushing against conventional narrative boundaries.

Yiyun Li’s win represents the PEN/Faulkner Award’s continued focus on literary rigor and emotional depth. Known for her previous acclaimed works and her unflinching examination of complex human relationships, Li brings her characteristic precision to a story that interrogates truth and memory across decades. The 2023 PEN Faulkner Award selection reinforces how this prestigious honor remains dedicated to honoring not just technical mastery, but the kind of profound storytelling that lingers with readers long after they’ve turned the final page.

Below, you’ll find the complete list of 2023 PEN/Faulkner Award winners and finalists, along with details about this year’s selections.

Fiction

• The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li