Editing National Book Award (section)

=== Pre-war awards by booksellers ===
The first National Book Awards were presented in May 1936 at the annual convention of the [[American Booksellers Association]], one month after ''The New York Times'' reported institution of the "new annual award". The winners were authors of four 1935 books selected by a vote of ABA members. [[Virginia Kirkus]] chaired the central committee of seven including the ABA president, three bookshops, ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'', and [[American News Company]]. Three were called "the most distinguished of 1935" (novel, biography, and general nonfiction) and one "the most original" (novel).<ref name=nyt1936a/><ref name=nyt1936/>
Two of the books were advertised by their publishers as "The most distinguished autobiography of 1935" and "The most distinguished general non-fiction book of 1935" in ''NYTimes'' on May 12, the same day that the newspaper reported yesterday's awards.{{NoteTag|
Both on page 21: Vincent Sheean's autobiography ''Personal History'' advertised by [[Doubleday (publisher)#History|Doubleday, Doran]]; [[Anne Morrow Lindbergh]]'s ''[[North to the Orient]]'' advertised by [[Harcourt (publisher)#History|Harcourt, Brace & Co.]]
<br />&nbsp; By 1937/38, if not earlier, there would be "National Book Award Editions" of some books.}}

For the next six years, 1937 to 1942, the awards were announced from mid-February to early March.<ref name=nyt1937>
"5 Honors Awarded on the Year's Books: Authors of Preferred Volumes Hailed at Luncheon of Booksellers Group", ''The New York Times'', 1937-02-26, page 23.</ref><ref name=nyt1938>
<br />"Booksellers Give Prize to 'Citadel': Cronin's Work About Doctors Their Favorite--'Mme. Curie' Gets Non-Fiction Award TWO OTHERS WIN HONORS Fadiman Is 'Not Interested' in What Pulitzer Committee Thinks of Selections", ''The New York Times'' 1938-03-02, page 14.</ref><ref name=nyt1939>"Book About Plants Receives Award: Dr. Fairchild's 'Garden' Work Cited by Booksellers", ''The New York Times'' 1939-02-15, page 20.</ref><ref name=nyt1940>"1939 Book Awards Given by Critics: Elgin Groseclose's 'Ararat' is Picked as Work Which Failed to Get Due Recognition", ''The New York Times'', 1940-02-14, page 25.</ref><ref name=nyt1941>"Books and Authors", ''The New York Times'', 1941-02-16, page BR12.</ref><ref name=nyt1942>"Neglected Author Gets High Honor: 1941 Book Award Presented to George Perry for 'Hold Autumn In Your Hand'", ''The New York Times'', 1942-02-11, page 18.</ref>

The "Most Distinguished" Nonfiction, Biography, and Novel (for 1935 and 1936)<ref name=nyt1936a/><ref name=nyt1936/><ref name=nyt1937/> were reduced to two and termed "Favorite" Nonfiction and Fiction beginning 1937. Master of ceremonies [[Clifton Fadiman]] declined to consider the [[Pulitzer Prize]]s (not yet announced in February 1938) as potential ratifications. "Unlike the Pulitzer Prize committee, the booksellers merely vote for their favorite books. They do not say it is the best book or the one that will elevate the standard of manhood or womanhood. Twenty years from now we can decide which are the masterpieces. This year we can only decide which books we enjoyed reading the most."<ref name=nyt1938/>

The Bookseller Discovery officially recognized "outstanding merit which failed to receive adequate sales and recognition" (quoted by NYT)<ref name=nyt1939/>
Finally that award stood alone for 1941 and the ''New York Times'' frankly called it "a sort of consolation prize that the booksellers hope will draw attention to his work."<ref name=nyt1942/>

The winning authors and books were selected by a nationwide poll of booksellers (ABA members); during the 1937/38 cycle, ballots were received from 319 stores, triple the number who voted in the first rendition early in 1936.<ref name=nyt1938/>
In a 1941 advertisement, the Booksellers described the "significance of the awards" thus:<ref name=nyt1941aba>
"The Booksellers of America Announce Their National Awards", ''The New York Times'', February 23, 1941, page BR21.
<br />• More than half of the advertisement featured the three prize books of 1937, announced earlier that month. The "Discovery of the Year" sported a [[dust jacket]] with stylized "First Prize" ribbon affixed and the Novel was promoted in its "National Book Award Edition" (also advertised ten days earlier: February 13, 1941, page 17).</ref>
<blockquote>In effect, his ballot says, "Of all the books of the year these are the three I enjoyed most – ''in two ways''! I enjoyed reading them; and I enjoyed selling them." And that to a bookseller means people who, on his recommendation, read and enjoyed – and sent in other people who also read and enjoyed.
The National Book Awards give you perhaps a greater guarantee of reading pleasure than any other literary prizes.</blockquote>