The NIN Award (Serbian: Ninova nagrada, Нинова награда), officially the Award for Best Novel of the Year, is a prestigious Serbian (and previously Yugoslavian) literary award established in 1954 by the NIN weekly and is given annually for the best newly published novel written in Serbian (previously in Serbo-Croatian).^[1] The award is presented every year in January by a panel of writers and critics. In addition to being a highly acclaimed award capable of transforming writers' literary careers, the award is also sought after because it virtually assures bestseller status for the winning novel.^[2] The literary website complete review called it the "leading Serbian literary prize" in 2012.^[3]

Between 1954 and 1957, the award was given to the best novel published in Yugoslavia, regardless of the language, but all the novels awarded in this period were written in Serbo-Croatian language. Starting in 1958, only novels written in Serbo-Croatian were eligible.^[4] Starting in 2012, only novels written in Serbian were eligible, regardless of the place of publication.^[5]

Since its inception, the award was not awarded only once, in 1959, when the jury decided that there were no candidates worthy of the award.^[6] Oskar Davičo is the only author to have won the award three times (in 1956, 1963 and 1964), and the only one to win it in two consecutive years. The only other authors to have won multiple (two) awards are Dobrica Ćosić, Živojin Pavlović, Dragan Velikić, and most recently Svetislav Basara. So far, seven women have been recipients of the award.^[7]

In 1978, Danilo Kiš became the first laureate to return the award. He returned the award for Novel of the year 1972 and demanded his name to be deleted from the list of winners.^[8] Because he was outraged by the text about him published in NIN on 7 February 1992, Milisav Savić returned the award that was given to him just a month earlier for the year 1991.^[9]

One of the most notable non-recipients is Ivo Andrić, the only Yugoslavian Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Andrić was candidate for the NIN award once, in 1954, with Prokleta avlija, but the jury disqualified the book as they classified it as a novellete, and not a novel.^[10][11]

More information Year, Photo ...

Year	Photo	Author(s)	Novel	Finalists	Ref
2023		Stevo Grabovac	Poslije zabave	Vladimir Pištalo, Pesma o tri sveta Vladan Matijević, Pakrac Srđan Srdić, Autosekcija Ljubomir Koraćević, U Zemlji Franje Josifa	[12][13]
2022		Danica Vukićević	Unutrašnje more	Milan Tripković, Klub istinskih stvaralaca Goran Petrović, Papir sa vodenim znakom Mirjana Drljević, Niko nije zaboravljen i ničega se ne sećamo Uglješa Šajtinac, Koljka i Sašenjka Marijana Čanak, Klara, Klarisa	[14][15]
2021		Milena Marković	Deca	Ilija Đurović, Sampas Elvedin Nezirović, Ono o čemu se ne može govoriti Vladimir Kopicl, Španska čizma Srđan V. Tešin, Mokrinske hronike David Albahari, Pogovor	[16][17]
2020		Svetislav Basara (2)	Kontraendorfin	Vladan Matijević, Sloboda govora Darko Cvijetić, Što na podu spavaš Enes Halilović, Ljudi bez grobova Savo Stijepović, Prekrasne ruševine Bojan Savić Ostojić, Ništa nije ničije Ognjen Spahić, Pod oba sunca	[18][19]
2019		Saša Ilić	Pas i kontrabas	Milenko Bodirogić, Po šumama i gorama Stevo Grabovac, Mulat Albino Komarac Slobodan Tišma, Grozota ili… Ana Vučković, Yugoslav	[20]
2018		Vladimir Tabašević	Zabluda Svetog Sebastijana	Branka Krilović, Prekasno Jelena Lengold, Odustajanje Lana Bastašić, Uhvati zeca Saša Savanović, Deseti život Goran Marković. Beogradski trio	[21]
2017		Dejan Atanacković	Luzitanija	Jovica Aćin, Srodnici Mira Otašević, Gorgone David Albahari, Danas je sreda Srđan Srdić, Srebrna magla pada	[22][23]
2016		Ivana Dimić	Arzamas	Vladislav Bajac, Hronika sumnje Vladan Matijević, Susret pod neobičnim okolnostima Vladimir Tabašević, Pa kao	[24][25]
2015		Dragan Velikić (2)	Islednik	Milisav Savić, La Sans Pareille Svetislav Basara, Anđeo atentata Dana Todorović, Park Logovskoj Vule Žurić, Republika Ćopić Ljubica Arsić, Rajska vrata	[26][27]
2014		Filip David	Kuća sećanja i zaborava (The House of Memory and Oblivion[28])	Oto Horvat, Sabo je stao David Albahari, Životinjsko carstvo	[29]
2013		Goran Gocić	Tai (Thai[30])	Slobodan Vladušić, Mi, izbrisani Silvana Hadži-Đokić, Zlatno doba Sonja Atanasijević, Vazdušni ljudi Mileta Prodanović, Arkadija	[31]
2012		Aleksandar Gatalica	Veliki rat (The Great War[32])	Mira Otašević, Zoja Drago Kekanović, Veprovo srce Katarina Brajović, Štampar i Veronika Ivančica Đerić, Nesreća i stvarne potrebe Laslo Blašković, Posmrtna maska	[33][34]
2011		Slobodan Tišma	Bernardijeva soba	Franja Petrinović, Almaški kružoci lečenih mesečara David Albahari, Kontrolni punkt Svetislav Basara, Mein Kampf Voja Čolanović, Oda manjem zlu Uglješa Šajtinac, Sasvim skromni darovi	[35]
2010		Gordana Ćirjanić	Ono što oduvek želiš	Radovan Beli Marković, Gospođa Olga Veselin Marković, Mi različiti Vladan Matijević, Vrlo malo svetlosti Goran Petrović, Ispod tavanice koja se ljuspa Zoran Petrović, Kamen blizanac	[36]
2009		Grozdana Olujić	Glasovi u vetru	Rajko Vasić, Prsti ludih očiju Zvonko Karanović, Tri slike pobede Žarko Komanin, Ljetopis vječnosti Sandra Petrušić, Taoci Đorđe Pisarev, A ako umre pre nego što se probudi Dejan Stojiljković, Konstantinovo raskršće Mirjana Urošević, PARK carmen Machado	[1][37]
2008		Vladimir Pištalo	Tesla, portret među maskama (Tesla, a Portrait with Masks[38])	Radoslav Petković, Savršeno sećanje na smrt Vladislav Bajac, Hamam Balkanija Laura Barna, Moja poslednja glavobolja Aleksandar Gatalica, Nevidljivi Svetislav Basara, Dnevnik Marte Koen	[39][40]
2007		Dragan Velikić	Ruski prozor (The Russian Window[41])	Gordana Ćirjanić, Poljubac Draško Miletić, pH roman Vladimir Kecmanović, Feliks	[42][43]
2006		Svetislav Basara	Uspon i pad Parkinsonove bolesti (The Rise and Fall of Parkinson's Disease)	Srđan Valjarević, Komo Zoran Živković, Most Zvonko Karanović, Četiri zida i grad Mirjana Mitrović, Emilija Leta	[44]
2005		Miro Vuksanović	Semolj zemlja	David Albahari, Pijavice Sanja Domazet, Ko plače Saša Ilić, Berlinsko okno Milica Mićić Dimovska, Utočošte Goran Milašinović, Apsint Mirjana Novaković, Johann's 501	[39][45]
2004		Vladimir Tasić	Kiša i hartija	Svetislav Basara, Srce zemlje Radovan Beli Marković, Orkestar na pedale	[46]
2003		Vladan Matijević	Pisac izdaleka	Dragan Velikić, Dosije Domaševski Goran Milašinović, Camera obscura Ana Vučković, Epoha lipsa juče Branko Brđanin, Mihail Gordana Ćirjanić, Kuća u Puertu Radovan Beli Marković, Devet belih oblaka	[39][47]
2002		Mladen Markov	Ukop oca	Daniel Kovač, Logika reke, pruge i otpada Radovan Beli Marković, Knez Miškin u Belom Valjevu Dobrilo Nenadić, Sablja grofa Vronskog Nenad Teofilović, Klopka	[48]
2001		Zoran Ćirić	Hobo	Radovan Beli Marković, Poslednja ruža Kolubare Dragan Velikić, Slučaj Bremen Veselin Marković, Izranjanje David Albahari, Svetski putnik Danilo Nikolić, Jesenja svila Vladimir Tasić, Oproštajni dar Milorad Grujić, Bog Vadraca i Madžara Eliezer Papo, Sarajevska megila Đorđe Pisarev, Pod senkom zmaja	[49]
2000		Goran Petrović	Sitničarnica "Kod srećne ruke" (At the "Lucky Hand" aka the Sixty-nine Drawers[50])	Svetislav Basara, Kratkodnevica Radovan Beli Marković, Limunacija u Ćelijama Miro Vuksanović, Semolj gora Strahinja Kastratović, Klen na vrbovom prutu Mirjana Novaković, Strah i njegov sluga Vladimir Pištalo, Milenijum u Beogradu	[39][51]
1999		Maksimilijan Erenrajh-Ostojić	Karakteristika	Ratomir Damjanović, Sančova verzija Milovan Danojlić, Balada o siromaštvu Vojislav Despotov, Drvodelja iz Nabisala Momo Kapor, Lep dan za umiranje Nikola Milošević, Nit miholjskog leta Milorad Pavić, Kutija za pisanje Zoran Ćirić, Prisluškivanje	[52]
1998		Danilo Nikolić	Fajront u Grgetegu	Vladislav Bajac, Druid iz Sindiduna Rade Kuzmanović, Golf Dobrilo Nenadić, Despot i žrtva Aleksandar Petrov, Kao zlato u vatri Ivana Hadži-Popović, Sezona trešanja	[53]
1997		Milovan Danojlić	Oslobodioci i izdajnici	Svetislav Basara, Looney Tunes	[54]
1996		David Albahari	Mamac (Bait[55])	Milica Mićić Dimovska, Poslednji zanosi MSS Miroslav Josić Višnjić, Svetovno trojstvo Boško Krstić, Kaštel Beringer Voja Čolanović, Džepna kob	[56]
1995		Svetlana Velmar-Janković	Bezdno	Dragan Velikić, Severni zid Danilo Nikolić, Kraljica zabave David Albahari, Snežni čovek	[39][57]
1994		Vladimir Arsenijević	U potpalublju (In the Hold[58])	Milovan Đilas, Izgubljene bitke Vuk Drašković, Noć đenerala Dragoslav Mihailović, Gori Morava Ivan Ivanović, Vojvoda od Leskovca	[39][59]
1993		Radoslav Petković	Sudbina i komentari (Destiny, Annotated[60])	Vidosav Stevanović, Ostrvo Balkan Goran Petrović, Atlas opisan nebom Slobodan Selenić, Ubistvo s predumišljajem Pavle Ugrinov, Sapun od cveća Milomir Đukanović, Američki eksperiment	[39][61]
1992		Živojin Pavlović (2)	Lapot	Miroslav Josić Višnjić, Pristup u kap i seme Antonije Isaković, Miran zločin Danko Popović, Udovice Miroslav Savićević, Kraj stoleća Kasiopeje Svetislav Basara, Mongolski bedeker	[39][62]
1991		Milisav Savić	Hleb i strah	Žarko Radaković, Tibingen Boba Blagojević, Skerletna luda Milorad Pavić, Unutrašnja strana vetra Dragan Velikić, Astragan Berislav Kosijer, Bezbožnici I-II Momčilo Selić, Izgon	[39][63]
1990		Miroslav Josić Višnjić	Odbrana i propast Bodroga u sedam burnih godišnjih doba	Svetlana Velmar Janković, Lagum Svetislav Basara, Na Gralovom tragu Milisav Savić, Ćup komitskog vojvode Mirjana Mitrović, Autoportret sa Milenom Đorđe Pisarev, Gotska priča	[39][64]
1989		Vojislav Lubarda	Vaznesenje	Vladislav Bajac, Knjiga o bambusu Dževad Karahasan, Istočni divan Miroslav Toholj, Stid Nedjeljko Fabrio, Berenikina kosa	[39][65]
1988		Dubravka Ugrešić	Forsiranje romana reke (Fording the Stream of Consciousness[66])	Ivan Aralica, Asmodejev šal Dragan Velikić, Via Pula Milenko Vučetić, Bežanje od sreće Zvonimir Majdak, Starac Borislav Pekić, Atlantida Miroslav Savićević, Priča o Kosovskom boju	[67]
1987		Voja Čolanović	Zebnja na rasklapanje	Ivan Aralica, Okvir za mržnju Slavenka Drakulić, Hologrami straha Branko Letić, Povratak u tuđinu Judita Šalgo, Trag kočenja	[68]
1986		Vidosav Stevanović	Testament	Ivan Aralica, Graditelj Svratišta Svetislav Basara, Napuklo ogledalo Dobrica Ćosić, Otpadnik Milovan Danojlić, Dragi moj Petroviću Sveta Lukić, Ratne igre u Vrbovcu Borislav Pekić, Zlatno runo vol. 6-7 Derviš Sušić, Nevakat Petar Šegedin, Vjetar Pavle Ugrinov, Otac i sin	[69][39]
1985		Živojin Pavlović	Zid smrti	Zvonimir Majdak, Kćerka Radoslav Petković, Senke na zidu Milisav Savić, Topola na terasi Slobodan Selenić, Očevi i oci Nedjeljko Fabrio, Vježbanje života	[70]
1984		Milorad Pavić	Hazarski rečnik (Dictionary of the Khazars[71])	Miroslav Popović, Sudbine Ivan Aralica, Duše robova Mladen Markov, Isterivanje boga Biljana Jovanović, Duša, jedinica moja Momo Kapor, Knjiga žalbi	[72]
1983		Dragoslav Mihailović	Čizmaši	Borislav Pekić, Besnilo	[39][73]
1982		Antonije Isaković	Tren 2		[39]
1981		Pavao Pavličić	Večernji akt	Milan Oklopčić, Kalifornija bluz Vojin Jelić, Doživotni grešnik Voja Čolanović, Levi dlan, desni dlan Dubravka Ugrešić, Štefica Cvek u raljama života Milorad Pavić, Mali noćni roman	[74]
1980		Slobodan Selenić	Prijatelji		[39]
1979		Pavle Ugrinov	Zadat život		[39]
1978		Mirko Kovač	Vrata od utrobe		[39]
1977		Petko Vojnić Purčar	Dom, sve dalji		[39]
1976		Aleksandar Tišma	Upotreba čoveka (The Use of Man[75])	Žarko Komanin, Kolijevka Ćamil Sijarić, Carska vojska Vukašin Mićunović, Bolovanja Pavle Ugrinov, Fascinacije Sveta Lukić, Vodeni cvetovi Mirko Kovač, Ruganje s dušom Mladen Markov, Smutnoe vreme	[76]
1975		Miodrag Bulatović	Ljudi sa četiri prsta	Vojin Jelić, Pobožni đavo Niko Jovićević, Modra oka Dragoslav Mihailović, Petrijin venac Radomir Smiljanić, U Andima Hegelovo telo	[77]
1974		Jure Franičević-Pločar	Vir	Branimir Šćepanović, Usta puna zemlje Momo Kapor, Foliranti	[78]
1973		Mihailo Lalić	Ratna sreća		[39]
1972		Danilo Kiš	Peščanik (Hourglass[79])	Aleksandar Tišma, Knjiga o Blamu	[80]
1971		Miloš Crnjanski	Roman o Londonu (A Novel of London[81])		[39]
1970		Borislav Pekić	Hodočašće Arsenija Njegovana	Mihailo Lalić, Pramen tame Boško Petrović, Dolazak na kraj leta	[82]
1969		Bora Ćosić	Uloge moje porodice u svetskoj revoluciji (My Family's Role in the World Revolution[83])	Voja Čolanović, Pustolovina po meri Jara Ribnikar, Jan Nepomucki	[84]
1968		Slobodan Novak	Mirisi, zlato i tamjan (Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh[85])	Slobodan Selenić, Memoari Pere Bogalja Dragoslav Mihailović, Kad su cvetale tikve	[86]
1967		Erih Koš	Mreže		[87]
1966		Meša Selimović	Derviš i smrt (Death and the Dervish[88])		[39]
1965		Ranko Marinković	Kiklop (Cyclops[89])		[39]
1964		Oskar Davičo (3)	Tajne		[39]
1963		Oskar Davičo (2)	Gladi		[39]
1962		Miroslav Krleža	Zastave (vol. 1)		[90]
1961		Dobrica Ćosić (2)	Deobe		[39]
1960		Radomir Konstantinović	Izlazak (Exitus[91])	Mihailo Lalić, Hajka Jozo Laušić, Kostolomi Vlado Maleski, Ono što beše nebo	[92]
1959		No award given			[6]
1958		Branko Ćopić	Ne tuguj bronzana stražo	Miodrag Bulatović, Vuk i zvono Ivanka Vujičić-Lašovska, Čahure Radomir Konstantinović, Čisti i prljavi Erih Koš, Il tifo Momčilo Milankov, Jesenji događaji Bora Ćosić, Svi smrtni	[39][4]
1957		Aleksandar Vučo	Mrtve javke	Vladan Desnica, Proljeća Ivana Galeba Mihailo Lalić, Lelejska gora Dušan Matić, Kocka je bačena Mića Popović, Izlet	[39][93]
1956		Oskar Davičo	Beton i svici	Svetlana Velmar Janković, Ožiljak Radomir Konstantinović, Mišolovka	[39][94]
1955		Mirko Božić	Neisplakani	Vjekoslav Kaleb, Bijeli kamen Novak Simić, Braća i kumiri	[95]
1954		Dobrica Ćosić	Koreni (The Roots)	Aleksadar Vučo, Raspust Radomir Konstantinović, Daj nam danas Ivan Potrč, Na kmetih Jara Ribnikar, Nedovršeni krug Ervin Šinko, Optimisti	[39][96]

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• Isidora Sekulić Award