PEN/Hemingway Award 2023: Complete list of winners

The PEN/Hemingway Award has long celebrated literary excellence in debut fiction, and the 2023 selection continues that tradition by spotlighting voices that demonstrate both technical mastery and emotional depth. This year’s honoree, Oscar Hokeah’s Calling for a Blanket Dance, joins an illustrious roster of first novels that have gone on to define careers and shape literary conversations. The PEN/Hemingway Award, which recognizes outstanding debut fiction works annually, carries particular prestige in the literary world—it’s the kind of recognition that can elevate a writer from promising newcomer to established author overnight.

Hokeah’s debut is a significant win for indigenous storytelling in contemporary American literature. Calling for a Blanket Dance demonstrates the kind of narrative sophistication and cultural authenticity that the award’s judges have consistently valued, marking another year where the PEN/Hemingway honors work that challenges conventional boundaries while delivering compelling human stories. For readers seeking to understand what contemporary debut fiction looks like at its finest, this year’s winner offers a perfect entry point into conversations about the future direction of American letters.

Below is the complete list of 2023 PEN/Hemingway Award winners and finalists:

Debut Novel

• Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah