Omar El Akkad’s Latest Book Named National Book Award Finalist
Omar El Akkad’s ‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’, marks his first recognition in the non-fiction category.
Egyptian-Canadian author Omar El Akkad has been named a finalist for the 2025 National Book Awards for his latest work, ‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’, marking his first recognition in the non-fiction category. The book, published earlier this year, blends memoir, reportage, and political reflection, and was written in the wake of the Gaza genocide.
According to the National Book Foundation, the work explores how ideals like justice and liberation are distorted in the aftermath of violence, with El Akkad using personal narrative and historical context to challenge dominant narratives. The title itself, he explains, speaks to the ways in which moral positions are often retroactively assigned once the dust settles. The nomination positions El Akkad, previously known for novels like What Strange Paradise, as a bold new voice in contemporary non-fiction.
