July Challenge: Hugo and Nebula Awards!
As a long time science fiction fan I always look to Hugo and/or Nebula award winners when I am searching for a new author. It does not guarantee that I will enjoy the writers and/or books but it is a great place to start. The Hugo and Nebula awards are the premier awards in science fiction and fantasy.
The Hugo Awards, are awards for excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy. They were first awarded in 1953, and have been awarded every year since 1955. The awards are run by and voted on by fans. Voting for the awards is open to all members of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), and to become a member all you have to do is buy a membership in that year’s Worldcon. A “supporting membership,” (in 2015 it costs US$40; in 2016 it costs US$50) is all you need to join WSFS.
The Nebula Awards® are voted on and presented by full, senior, and associate members of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. Founded as the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1965 by Damon Knight, the organization began with a charter membership of 78 writers; it now has over 2,000 members, among them many of the leading writers of science fiction and fantasy. All works first published in English, in the United States, during the calendar year, in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, or a related fiction genre are eligible for the Nebula Awards® in their respective categories.
For this month we have provided a list of all Hugo and Nebula award nominees and winners for Best Novel, along some additional information of the authors and books, click here for the data. A couple questions you can viz with this dataset:
- What are the genders of the authors?
- How old are authors on average when they receive their first nomination and/or award?
- How many awards do most authors receive? What are some characteristics of books/authors who win vs. are just nominated?
- How many books/authors win or are nominated for both a Hugo and Nebula award?
- Which books have you read? Which do you want to? Of the books you have read this year, how many are Hugo/Nebula nominees/awardees?
The options are limitless! Below are some examples of vizzes about books; and don’t forget to submit to the tracker (click here):
Hugo and Nebula Awards by Nicole Klassen
Must Read Books by Black Authors | #VOTD by Adedamola (Damola) Ladipo
My Year in Books by Naledi Hollbruegge
