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The National Book Award was established in 1950 by the National Book Foundation, which was a collection of publishers, editors, writers, and critics, with a mission to, "celebrate the best of American literature, to expand its audience, and to enhance the cultural value of good writing in America" (National Book Foundation).
The National Book Award is awarded to books in four categories each year, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people's literature. In addition, two Life Time Achievement awards are also given out annually. Over the last sixty years, the National Book Award has become one of the most influential and coveted awards in America.
After its inception in 1950, "The National Book Awards (NBA) quickly established a reputation for recognizing literary excellence" (National Book Foundation). Over the years, it has honored authors such as "William Faulkner, Saul Bellow, Wallace Stevens, Rachel Carson, Ralph Ellison, W.H. Auden, Marianne Moore, and Bernard Malamud – authors who have helped shape the foundation of American literature" (National Book Foundation). The National Book Awards' reputation for recognizing literary excellence has allowed them to become one of the most influential literary awards in America.