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Arundhati Roy wins U.S. Book Critics award
The book marks Roy’s first memoir and follows a two-decade period during which she primarily published essays.
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Pranavi Sharma - Sun, 29, Mar 2026
- 00:05 EDT
- 18
Indian author Arundhati Roy / Wikipedia, Penguin
Arundhati Roy has won the 2026 U.S. National Book Critics Circle Award in the autobiography category for her memoir 'Mother Mary Comes to Me'.
The National Book Critics Circle presents annual awards honoring books published in English across six categories: fiction, nonfiction, biography, autobiography, poetry, and criticism. Roy’s memoir was named the best autobiography this year.
Roy and her publisher, Scribner Books, shared the announcement on Instagram on March 28.
"MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME has won the 2025 National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography! Congratulations, Arundhati Roy," Roy wrote.
ALSO READ: Arundhati Roy longlisted for U.K. Women’s Prize
The memoir explores Roy’s relationship with her mother, Mary Roy, portraying her as a strong and influential presence in both her personal life and writing. The book marks Roy’s first memoir and follows a two-decade period during which she primarily published essays.
The organization also awards additional honors voted on by its membership, including the John Leonard Prize for a debut book and the Gregg Barrios Book in Translation Prize. It further presents the Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing, along with the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award and the Toni Morrison Achievement Award, recognizing contributions to literary culture.
Roy first gained international recognition after winning the Booker Prize in 1997 for her debut novel, 'The God of Small Things'. She was the first Indian woman to receive the award.
'Mother Mary Comes to Me' has also been shortlisted for the 2026 Women's Prize in the non-fiction category . The winner will be announced June 11. The recipient will receive £30,000 and a limited-edition artwork known as the “Charlotte,” created by Ann Christopher .
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