This award recognizes what the National Book Critics Circle considers the best book published by an American author each year. Awards are given in five categories: fiction, poetry, biography/autobiography, general nonfiction and criticism. Winning titles are determined by vote of the Critics Circle Board from suggestions received by the members and have been awarded annually since 1976. (The year given is the year of publication; awards are presented the following year.) In the brief history of this award, E.L. Doctorow has won it three times, and John Updike and Stanley Elkin (who died in 1995) have won it twice. You can read more about the NBCC Awards, and see the winners in categories other than "Fiction" at the National Book Critics Circle official home page.