Chicago's literary scene has been celebrated with the 2025 Chicago Review of Books awards, recognizing excellence in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and essays written by local authors.
Samira Ahmed, a bestselling author from suburban Batavia, was honored with the Adam Morgan Literary Leadership Award for her dedicated work in protecting freedom to read as a national leader of Authors Against Book Bans. Ahmed's novels, including "Love, Hate & Other Filters," have garnered significant attention, and she became the first South Asian woman to write Kamala Khan in Ms. Marvel comics.
At the ceremony, poet Rob Macaisa Colgate received recognition for his debut collection "Hardly Creatures," which explores the disability community with sensitivity and depth. The book's publisher, Tin House, praises its ability to shepherd readers through the complexities of this often-overlooked group.
Eve L. Ewing, a sociologist, author, and poet, was awarded the evening's nonfiction prize for her latest book "Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism." In this work, Ewing delves into the history of schools in America, revealing how they have been used to reinforce systemic racism and control.
The awards, now in their 10th year, celebrate local authors who make significant contributions to literature. This year's winners were chosen by a committee comprised of local booksellers and Chicago Review of Books staff. Past recipients include notable writers like Rebecca Makkai, Ling Ma, and Erika L. Sánchez.
The ceremony marked an important milestone for the awards, which continue to shine a light on the city's vibrant literary landscape.
Samira Ahmed, a bestselling author from suburban Batavia, was honored with the Adam Morgan Literary Leadership Award for her dedicated work in protecting freedom to read as a national leader of Authors Against Book Bans. Ahmed's novels, including "Love, Hate & Other Filters," have garnered significant attention, and she became the first South Asian woman to write Kamala Khan in Ms. Marvel comics.
At the ceremony, poet Rob Macaisa Colgate received recognition for his debut collection "Hardly Creatures," which explores the disability community with sensitivity and depth. The book's publisher, Tin House, praises its ability to shepherd readers through the complexities of this often-overlooked group.
Eve L. Ewing, a sociologist, author, and poet, was awarded the evening's nonfiction prize for her latest book "Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism." In this work, Ewing delves into the history of schools in America, revealing how they have been used to reinforce systemic racism and control.
The awards, now in their 10th year, celebrate local authors who make significant contributions to literature. This year's winners were chosen by a committee comprised of local booksellers and Chicago Review of Books staff. Past recipients include notable writers like Rebecca Makkai, Ling Ma, and Erika L. Sánchez.
The ceremony marked an important milestone for the awards, which continue to shine a light on the city's vibrant literary landscape.
I mean, can't we just keep it casual like at Comic-Con? 
I was watching that Ms. Marvel episode where Kamala Khan writes her first comic book and it got me thinking, have you guys ever noticed how comic books are basically the ultimate mashup of art and storytelling? Like, you gotta be a master of both visual art and writing to make something like that work... 
I swear, if I were Samira Ahmed, I'd totally write a graphic novel or something. That would be so cool! 
I'm so stoked about this year's Chicago Review of Books awards! 
Samira Ahmed is totally deserving of that Adam Morgan Literary Leadership Award – she's been doing such amazing work for authors' rights and representation in literature 
. And can we talk about Rob Macaisa Colgate's debut collection "Hardly Creatures"? 
The way he tackles disability with sensitivity and depth is seriously impressive 
. I also love that Eve L. Ewing is receiving recognition for her nonfiction book – it's so important to shed light on the history of systemic racism in our education system 
. I'm not surprised, though, given the amazing work she's been doing as a sociologist and author 
. Overall, this year's winners are all total rockstars 
!
and Rob Macaisa Colgate's poetry is so relatable as a person with a disability myself, it feels like he's speaking directly to us 
Tin House did an amazing job publishing "Hardly Creatures", can't wait to dive into more of their books 
. And yay for Eve L. Ewing winning that nonfiction prize - her research on schools and systemic racism is super important stuff 
!
Eve L. Ewing's nonfiction book "Original Sins" is also super important, it's like, our schools are still perpetuating racism and it's time we talk about it!!! This award ceremony is literally the best way to celebrate local authors who are making waves in the literary world. Kudos to Tin House for publishing Rob's book and to the Chicago Review of Books staff for curating this amazing list of winners! 
I'm also hyped that Tin House is behind "Hardly Creatures" - they're doin' some amazing things with publishing 