The 5 Prestigious Titles That Won National Book Awards This Year

The Emissary, written by Yoko Tawada and translated by Margaret Mitsutani, won for translated literature this year, which should come as no surprise. The breathtaking, lighthearted, and undeniably funny novel takes place in Japan after the country suffers a massive disaster that leaves its children weak, gray-haired, and frail. As Twada explores the relationship between a grandfather and his wonderful, but suffering grandson, you'll be struck by how the book is able to find threads of joy within dystopia.