Living Canon

PEN/Hemingway Award 1998: Complete list of winners

The PEN/Hemingway Award has long served as a prestigious launching pad for debut novelists, and the 1998 winner proved the award’s keen eye for emerging talent. Charlotte Bacon’s A Private State claimed the honor that year, marking an impressive literary debut that caught the attention of the prestigious panel. The PEN/Hemingway Award, which recognizes the most promising first novel or short story collection by an author under forty, continues to be one of the literary world’s most coveted recognitions for new voices—a distinction that traces back to its aim of celebrating works that honor the directness and clarity of Ernest Hemingway’s prose.

Bacon’s win was particularly notable for the novel’s nuanced exploration of character and emotion, qualities that align perfectly with what the award’s judges seek: fresh, compelling storytelling that announces a significant new talent to the literary community. The 1998 PEN/Hemingway Award winner demonstrated how the award remains a crucial barometer for identifying which debut works will likely resonate beyond their first season of publication. For readers tracking the PEN Hemingway Award winners across decades, Bacon’s selection underscores the award’s consistent ability to spotlight novelists who combine literary sophistication with the kind of readability Hemingway himself championed.

Below, you’ll find the complete details on this year’s recognition.

Debut Novel