Ben Shattuck’s acclaimed collection of short stories The History of Sound is a finalist for the 2025 Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award.
‘What strikes me about this list, in addition to its high quality, is its spectacular diversity—in the authors, yes, but also in the kinds of fiction and the qualities of writing represented,’ said Rand Richards Cooper, critic, writer, and Chair of the Twain Award judging panel. ‘The four personalities in this finalist list could hardly be more distinct, each from the others. That’s exciting to me as a writer and critic.’
Established in 2016 with the generous sponsorship of acclaimed novelist and Museum Board member David Baldacci, the Award honors distinguished fiction that speaks with an American voice and tells a uniquely American story. The Mark Twain Award seeks to preserve the searching, challenging spirit of Mark Twain’s way of looking at the world. The prize is awarded annually to a work of fiction published in the previous calendar year and carries a $25,000 cash award.
The winner will be honoured on Friday 7 November.