The award-winning author’s latest novel follows two motherless Black women whose lifelong friendship is shaped by community
Author and Emory University professor Tayari Jones has won the 2026 Kirkus Prize for Fiction for her novel Kin, earning a $50,000 cash award. The winners were announced Oct. 7 at a ceremony in New York City, with the prize recognizing outstanding books across fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature.
Set in rural Louisiana and Atlanta during the mid-20th century, Kin follows Annie and Niecy, two motherless friends whose bond is tested by time, distance and changing class circumstances. As reported by Emory University, the Kirkus Prize jury praised the novel for its portrayal of the Black South, highlighting Jones’ exploration of the women’s diverging lives and the social injustices surrounding them.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Jones reflected on how her own family history shaped the novel. She said she came to understand that writing the book meant exploring her mother and her mother’s generation to better understand herself. According to Associated Press, Jones also credited her mother and aunt with sharing experiences and stories that eventually found their way into the book.
Kin is Jones’ fifth novel and a New York Times bestseller. It was also the first Oprah’s Book Club selection of 2026 and appeared on The New York Times’ list of the best books of the year so far. Jones is the Charles Howard Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing at Emory University. Her previous novel, An American Marriage, won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2018 and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Fiction.
Her other books include Leaving Atlanta, The Untelling and Silver Sparrow. In 2026, Jones was also named to TIME’s list of the 100 Most Influential People and elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
The Kirkus Prize also recognized two other writers. In the nonfiction category, Pamela Colloff won for “Catch the Devil: A True Story of Murder”, “Deception”, and “Injustice on the Gulf Coast”. Under young readers’ literature, Elizabeth Acevedo won for Anger Is Only a Shadow. Each winner receives $50,000 and a trophy. Established in 2014 by Kirkus Reviews, the awards recognize books that receive starred reviews during the eligibility period.
Jones’ achievement places a story rooted in Black women’s lives, family histories and the legacy of the Jim Crow South at the center of a major literary award.
More About:Lifestyle
Weekly New Episodes
Stream Now
