The prize-winning books of 1979

In 1979, the prizes ReadingRate follows named 9 winners. The most approachable is The Old Jest by Jennifer Johnston (difficulty 53/100, about 2.8 hours); the hardest is Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien (65/100).

• Nobel Prize in Literature: Odysseas Elytis — difficulty 66/100
• Booker Prize: Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald — difficulty 54/100, about 2.9 hours
• Pulitzer Prize for Fiction: The Stories of John Cheever by John Cheever — difficulty 61/100, about 28 hours
• National Book Award for Fiction: Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien — difficulty 65/100, about 8.7 hours
• Hugo Award for Best Novel: Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre
• Nebula Award for Best Novel: Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre
• Prix Goncourt: Pélagie by Antonine Maillet
• Costa Novel Award: The Old Jest by Jennifer Johnston — difficulty 53/100, about 2.8 hours
• Albert J. Beveridge Award: Keepers of the Game by Calvin Martin

Earlier: 1978 · Every year · Later: 1980

Other prizes: Nobel Prize in Literature, Booker Prize, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, International Booker Prize, National Book Award for Fiction, Women's Prize for Fiction, Hugo Award for Best Novel, Nebula Award for Best Novel, Prix Goncourt, Dublin Literary Award, PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, National Book Award for Nonfiction, Costa Novel Award, Albert J. Beveridge Award, Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction. Every literary prize; every winner of 2026.