Today, on the day that the National Book Award winners will be announced, Patrik Henry Bass, Takeaway contributor and books editor for Essence, tells us who's nominated, who he thinks will win, and who was left off the nomination list that we should be reading anyway. We also ask: Do the awards lead to bigger book sales and larger signing bonuses, or is it all just about the honor of being recognized?

Click through for the full list of books Patrik Henry Bass believes should have been nominated for a National Book Award this year.