The late Mary Hemingway, a member of PEN, founded the award in 1976 both to honor the memory of her husband, Ernest Hemingway, and to recognize distinguished first books of fiction. The award is funded by the Hemingway Family, the Hemingway Foundation & Society, and PEN America. Major support is also provided by Mary & Kurt Cerulli.
All competition honorees receive Ucross Residency Fellowships at the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming, a retreat for artists and writers. A panel of three distinguished fiction writers selects the winner.
For more information about the award, visit the PEN/Hemingway area of the PEN America wesbite.
2025 PEN/Hemingway Short List Announced
Judges: Lauren Acampora, Allegra Goodman, Akhil Sharma
Dead in Long Beach, California, Venita Blackburn (MCD)
Early Sobrieties, Michael Deagler (Astra House)
Controlled Conversations, Karol Lagodzki (Milford House Press)
The Road to the Salt Sea, Samuel Kọ́láwọlé (Amistad)
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