On March 20, 2024, Hisham Matar, professor of professional practice in English and Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, was announced as the winner of the 2024 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction for his novel, My Friends. The prestigious award, announced at a ceremony at the New School in New York City, is one of the most esteemed literary honors in the United States.
My Friends follows the journey of a young Libyan man living in exile in London, exploring themes of displacement, friendship, and resilience.
Winners of the National Book Critics Circle Awards are chosen by over 800 book critics and review editors – rather than industry professionals or academics – who select winners based on literary merit. Matar, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and faculty member of the Comparative Literature and Translation program, continues to earn widespread acclaim for his literary contributions.