Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

(2013 selection)

Awards and Accolades

Author Richard Russo called the novel "an absolute masterpiece." NPR's called the book "a literary miracle," the New York Times Book Review called it "a high-wire feat of bravura storytelling," and Salon called it "a masterpiece ... damn near perfect." Esquire Magazine named "Beautiful Ruins" one of the "things a man should read, watch, listen to, and generally delight in this summer" in its June 2012 piece, "Man at His Best: A Special Summer Preview."

More accolades for “Beautiful Ruins”

Best Book of the Year

Esquire Magazine: Book of the Year
NPR: Maureen Corrigan, Best Novel of 2012

Other "Best" Lists

Barnes & Noble Best Fiction of 2012
BeyondChron, San Francisco’s Alternative Online Daily
Goodreads Choice Award 2012: #8 Best Fiction Book
Hollywood.com: Jess Walters, Breakout Author of 2012
Hudson Booksellers 10 Best Fiction Books of 2012
Huffington Post: Nina Sankovitch's Thanksgiving for 2012 Books
Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction of 2012: The Top 25
Librarian Nancy Pearl’s Best Books of 2012
National Post: Best Books of 2012
New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2012
Publishers Weekly Top Fiction Books of 2012
Salon 2012 Mid-Year Musts: The Essentials
Seattle Times 25 Best Books of 2012

Accolades for the Audio Version of “Beautiful Ruins”:

Audible.com’s Audiobook of the Year 2012 
Salon 2012 Best Audiobook Narration

Awards & Accolades for Jess Walter’s Other Works:

Every Knee Shall Bow (later named Ruby Ridge) - 1996 PEN USA Literary Nonfiction Award Finalist
Over Tumbled Graves- 2001 New York Times Notable Book
Citizen Vince – 2006 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel
The Zero – 2007 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award, 2006 National Book Award Finalist, 2007 PEN Center Literary Award Finalist, 2007 LA Times Book Prize Finalist
The Financial Lives of the Poets – Time Magazine’s #2 Best Book of the Year 2009

Funding for "One Book, Everybody Reads" is made possible by Friends of the Wilmette Public Library.