2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize & Community Read
The Community Read, presented by Aspen Words and the Pitkin County Library, strives to celebrate literature, unite readers around a work of fiction, and ignite meaningful conversation on the vital social issues explored in each year's Aspen Words Literary Prize winning novel and those nominated.
Each year, after the Aspen Words Literary Prize is announced, Aspen Words and the Library team up to put these great stories into reader's hands. Together we distribute 230 free copies of the winning book to community members, helping spark conversation, connection, and a shared love of literature.
Book Distribution Party
Tuesday, July 22 | 5:00pm-6:00pm | Dunaway Community Meeting Room
Join us for the Community Read Distribution Party!
Celebrate the joy of reading and community as we come together to kick off the Community Read program! Pick up a free copy of this year's featured book and connect with fellow readers. Whether you're a lifelong book lover or new to the program, this event is the perfect opportunity to dive into a great story and share the experience with others. Enjoy light refreshments, exciting giveaways, and an evening filled with literary fun. Don’t miss out—come and be a part of the community-wide reading adventure!
Book Discussion with the Lit Lounge Book Club
Tuesday, August 19 | 5:00pm-6:00pm | Dunaway Community Meeting Room
Welcome to The Lit Lounge, a dynamic book club inspired by the thought-provoking works that were nominated and considered for the Aspen Words Literary Prize. This book club meets every third Tuesday of the Month from 5:00pm-6:00pm.
For the August meeting, we will discuss the 2025 Community Read and Aspen Words Literary Prize winner, Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange.
The intention of this group is to gather and discuss great books. Each month, select the book you’re most interested in from the wide world of Aspen Words Literary Prize nominees and then come together to discuss, share insights, and encourage fellow readers. Join us for engaging dialogue, thoughtful insights, and, of course, the occasional surprise guest or creative twist! Learn more.
2025 Aspen Word Literary Prize Winner
The 2025 Winner has been announced! Learn more about this year's novels and authors.
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
Colorado, 1864. Star, a young survivor of the Sand Creek Massacre, is brought to the Fort Marion prison castle, where he is forced to abandon his language and beliefs. There he is subject to the teachings of Richard Henry Pratt, an evangelical prison guard who will go on to found the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, an institution dedicated to the eradication of Native history, culture, and identity. A generation later, Star’s son, Charles, is sent to Carlisle, where he is brutalized by the man who was once his father’s jailer.
Under Pratt’s harsh treatment, Charles shares solace in a bond with a fellow student, Opal Viola, as the two envision a future away from the legacy of violence and forced assimilation that haunts their families.
Tommy Orange is a graduate of the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts. An enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, he was born and raised in Oakland, California. His first book, There There, was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize and received the 2019 American Book Award. He lives in Oakland, California.
2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist
Previous Community Read Books
Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad
2024 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
Isabella Hammad Author Talk with Aspen Public Radio
The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories by Jamil Jan Kochai
2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
Jamil Jan Kochai Author Talk with Aspen Public Radio
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton
2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
Dawnie Walton Author Talk with Aspen Public Radio
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
2021 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
2020 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
2019 Aspen Words Literary Prize Ceremony
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Aspen Words was founded in 1976 as a literary center based in Aspen, CO. A program of the Aspen Institute, its mission is to encourage writers, inspire readers and connect people through the power of stories. The Aspen Words Literary Prize is a $35,000 annual award for an influential work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power of literature on thought and culture. Open to authors of any nationality, the award is one of the largest literary prizes in the United States and one of the few focused exclusively on fiction with a social impact. The inaugural award was presented in 2018 to Mohsin Hamid for his novel Exit West.