Adam Ross is the winner of the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose for “Playworld,” a coming-of-age story set in New York City in the 1980s. Inspired by his own childhood, the novel follows teenager Griffin Hurt through formative relationships and family issues, as he bridges between youth and maturity, and grapples with life. Sponsored by the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, the award honors exceptional work and encompasses fiction, travel writing, memoir and diary.

Acclaimed author Amy Tan is 2025’s Robert Kirsch Award winner which recognizes a writer with a substantial connection to the American West. Her expansive work, including “The Joy Luck Club,” “The Kitchen God’s Wife” and “The Bonesetter’s Daughter,” explores the immigrant experience and family bonds. Born in Oakland to immigrant parents, Tan gives voice to the Chinese American experience and the American story. In “The Backyard Bird Chronicles,” she turns her observational eye to nature, chronicling her foray into birding through daily entries and sketches. Her accolades, including the National Humanities Medal and the 2026 Preston Award, solidify her legacy as a titan of literary excellence and cultural impact.