# Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing

The Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing, established in 1991, is an annual literary award presented by the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) to honor Nona Balakian, one of three NBCC founders. The award recognizes an NBCC's members "outstanding work" and has been called "the most prestigious award for book criticism in the country."

## Recipients

John Leonard Prize winners and honors :
| Year | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
| 1991 | George Scialabba | Winner | |
| 1992 | Elizabeth Ward | Winner | |
| 1993 | Brigitte Frase | Winner | |
| 1994 | JoAnn C. Gutin | Winner | |
| 1995 | Laurie Stone | Winner | |
| 1996 | Dennis Drabelle | Winner | |
| 1997 | Thomas Mallon | Winner | |
| 1998 | Albert Mobilio | Winner | |
| 1999 | Benjamin Schwarz | Winner | |
| 2000 | Daniel Mendelsohn | Winner | |
| 2001 | Michael Gorra | Winner | |
| 2002 | Maureen N. McLane | Winner | |
| 2003 | Scott McLemee | Winner | |
| 2004 | David Orr | Winner | |
| 2005 | Wyatt Mason | Winner | |
| 2006 | Steven G. Kellman | Winner | |
| 2007 | Sam Anderson | Winner | |
| 2007 | Adam Kirsch | Finalist | |
| 2007 | Brooke Allen | Finalist | |
| 2007 | Ron Charles | Finalist | |
| 2007 | Walter Kirn | Finalist | |
| 2008 | Ron Charles | Winner | |
| 2008 | Kathryn Harrison | Finalist | |
| 2008 | Laila Lalami | Finalist | |
| 2008 | Michael Antman | Finalist | |
| 2008 | Todd Shy | Finalist | |
| 2009 | Joan Acocella | Winner | |
| 2009 | Donna Seaman | Finalist | |
| 2009 | Michael Antman | Finalist | |
| 2009 | Wendy Smith | Finalist | |
| 2009 | William Deresiewicz | Finalist | |
| 2010 | Parul Sehgal | Winner | |
| 2010 | Kathryn Harrison | Finalist | |
| 2010 | Ruth Franklin | Finalist | |
| 2010 | Sarah L. Courteau | Finalist | |
| 2010 | William Deresiewicz | Finalist | |
| 2011 | Kathryn Schulz | Winner | |
| 2011 | William Deresiewicz | Finalist | |
| 2011 | Ruth Franklin | Finalist | |
| 2011 | Garth Risk Hallberg | Finalist | |
| 2011 | Kathryn Harrison | Finalist | |
| 2012 | William Deresiewicz | Winner | |
| 2012 | Abigail Deutsch | Finalist | |
| 2012 | Lev Grossman | Finalist | |
| 2012 | Garth Risk Hallberg | Finalist | |
| 2012 | Kathryn Harrison | Finalist | |
| 2013 | Katherine A. Powers | Winner | |
| 2013 | Ruth Franklin | Finalist | |
| 2013 | James Marcus | Finalist | |
| 2013 | Roxana Robinson | Finalist | |
| 2013 | Alexandra Schwartz | Finalist | |
| 2014 | Alexandra Schwartz | Winner | |
| 2014 | Charles Finch | Finalist | |
| 2014 | B. K. Fischer | Finalist | |
| 2014 | Benjamin Moser | Finalist | |
| 2014 | Lisa Russ Spaar | Finalist | |
| 2015 | Carlos Lozada | Winner | |
| 2015 | Ruth Franklin | Finalist | |
| 2015 | James Parker | Finalist | |
| 2015 | Roxana Robinson | Finalist | |
| 2015 | Leo Robson | Finalist | |
| 2016 | Michelle Dean | Winner | |
| 2016 | Julia M. Klein | Finalist | |
| 2016 | Christian Lorentzen | Finalist | |
| 2016 | Becca Rothfeld | Finalist | |
| 2016 | Leo Robson | Finalist | |
| 2017 | Charles Finch | Winner | |
| 2017 | David Biespiel | Finalist | |
| 2017 | Maureen Corrigan | Finalist | |
| 2017 | Ruth Franklin | Finalist | |
| 2017 | James Marcus | Finalist | |
| 2018 | Maureen Corrigan | Winner | |
| 2018 | David Biespiel | Finalist | |
| 2018 | Julia Klein | Finalist | |
| 2018 | Becca Rothfield | Finalist | |
| 2018 | Wendy Smith | Finalist | |
| 2019 | Katy Waldman | Winner | |
| 2019 | David Biespiel | Finalist | |
| 2019 | Josephine Livingstone | Finalist | |
| 2019 | Wendy Smith | Finalist | |
| 2019 | David L. Ulin | Finalist | |
| 2020 | Josephine Livingstone | Winner | |
| 2020 | Dean Rader | Finalist | |
| 2020 | Jake Cline | Finalist | |
| 2020 | Rumaan Alam | Finalist | |
| 2020 | Sophie Haigney | Finalist | |
| 2021 | Merve Emre | Winner | |
| 2022 | Jennifer Wilson | Winner | |
| 2023 | Becca Rothfield | Winner | |
| Rhoda Feng | Finalist | |
| Christoph Irmscher | Finalist | |
| Sophie Pinkham | Finalist | |
| Audrey Wollen | Finalist | |
| -style="background:#cddeff" | 2024 | Lauren M. Jackson | Winner |
| Joanna Biggs | Finalist | |
| Sarah Chihaya | Finalist | |
| Rhoda Feng | Finalist | |
| Jeremy Lybarger | Finalist | |