Firecracker Alternative Book Awards
You can find about more book award winners in our Book Awards section.
Here are some Firecracker Award winners from prior years.
2002
Fiction
This Too Can Be Yours by Beth Lisick (Manic D Press)
Nonfiction
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (Houghton Mifflin Company)
Poetry
Cunt-Ups by by Dodie Bellamy (Tender Buttons Books)
Politics
9-11 by Noam Chomsky (Seven Stories Press)
Sex
Hardcore from the Heart by Annie Sprinkle and Gabrielle Cody (Continuum)
Drugs
Junkie Love by Phil Shoenfelt (Twisted Spoon Press)
Music
We Owe You Nothing by Punk Planet (Akashic Books)
Art/Photo
Devil's Advocate: The Art of Coop by Chris Cooper (Aperient Press)
Graphic Novel
Palestine by Joe Sacco (Fantagraphics Books)
Kids
Little Lit: Strange Stories for Strange Kids edited by Art Spiegelman & Francoise Mouly (Joanna Cotler Books)
2001
Fiction
Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature by Neal Pollack (McSweeney's Books)
Nonfiction
The Strange Case of Edward Gorey by Alexander Theroux (Fantagraphics Books)
Poetry
Little Book of Ass by by Shappy & Sam Henderson (Kapow! Press)
Politics
The Ralph Nader Reader by Ralph Nader (Seven Stories Press)
Sex
Deviant Desires by Katharine Gates (Juno Books)
Drugs
Aunt Mary Jane's Baking With Pot by Mary Jane (High Times Books)
Music
Strange Fruit by David Margolick (Running Press)
Art/Photo
This Is Blythe by Gina Garan (Chronicle Books)
Graphic Novel
Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware (Pantheon Books)
Kids
The Real Rules for Girls by Mindy Morgenstern (Girl Press)
2000
Fiction
Po Man's Child by Marci Blackman
Nonfiction
The Future of History by Howard Zinn and David Barsamian
Poetry
The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry edited by Alan Kaufman and S.A. Griffin
Politics
No More Prisons by William Upski Wimsatt
Sex
I was a Teenage Dominatrix by Shawna Kenney
Drugs
High Times Presents Paul Krassner's Pot Stories for the Soul compiled by Paul Krassner
Music
Fucked Up + Photocopied: Instant Art of the Punk Rock Movement edited by Bryan Ray Turcotte and E Bryan R. Turcott
Art/Photo
From Girls to Grrrlz : A History of Women's Comics from Teens to Zines by Trina Robbins
Graphic Novel
My New York Diary by Julie Doucet
Kids
The Story of Colors/La Historia de los Colores: A Bilingual Folktale from the Jungles of Chiapas by Subcomandante Marcos and translated by Anne Bar Din
Special Recognition/Wildcard Categories:
Books about Gap-Toothed Deceased Female Cartoonists with Smelly Dogs
Dori Stories by Dori Seda
Best Propaganda Video Guide
Mental Hygiene : Classroom Films 1945-1970 by Ken Smith
1999
Fiction
The Leather Daddy and the Femme: An Erotic Novel by Carol Queen
Nonfiction
Cunt: A Declaration of Independence by Inga Muscio
Poetry
Burning in Paradise by Michael Madsen
Politics
Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion by Gary Webb
Sex
Maurice Vellekoop's ABC Book: A Homoerotic Primer by Maurice Vellekoop
Drugs
Steven Cerio's ABC Book: A Drug Primer by Steven Cerio
Music
Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground by Didrik Sderlind
Art/Photo
The Beauty of Fetish by Steve Diet Goedde
Graphic Novel
Street Posters & Ballads by Eric Drooker
Zine
The Fish Tank published by Teresa Cooper and Lisa Zale
Kids
Facetasm: A Creepy Mix & Match Book of Gross Face Mutations by Charles Burns and Gary Panter
Outstanding Independent Press of the Year
Cleis Press
Self Improvement
My Gender Workbook: How to Become a Real Man, a Real Woman, the Real You, or Something Else Entirely by Kate Bornstein
Special Recognition/Wildcard Categories:
Maybe Mr. Falwell Was Right
Teletubbies: Dancing with the Skirt edited by Andrew Davenport
Maybe the NEA Was Wrong
The Story of Colors/La Historia de los Colores: A Bilingual Folktale from the Jungles of Chiapas by Subcomandante Marcos, Anne Bar Din (Translator), Domitilia Dominguez (Illustrator)
1998
Fiction
In Awe by Scott Heim
Nonfiction
Ono Ono Girl's Hula by Carolyn Lei-Lanilau
Poetry
Queer Dog: Homo Pup Poetry, edited by Gerry Gomez Pearlberg
Politics
The Zinn Reader by Howard Zinn
Sex
The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women by Tristan Taormino
Drugs
The Joint Rolling Handbook, edited by Richard Kemplay
Music
Monk, edited by Laurent de Wilde
Art/Photo
Devil Babe's Big Book of Fun, edited by Isabel Samaras
Graphic Novel
Minimum Wage: Book 2-- The Tales of Hoffman by Bob Fingerman
Zine
The Onion
Kids
In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers, edited by Javaka Steptoe
Outstanding Independent Press of the Year
2.13.61 Publications
Special Recognition/Wildcard Categories
Best Distraction from the E. Coli Blues:
Red Meat by Max Cannon
I Always Knew Kirk & Spock Were Lovers!
NASA/Trek: Popular Science and Sex in America by Constance Penley
'If I Didn't Do This I'd Kill People!'
Original Sin: The Visionary Art of Joe Coleman by Joe Coleman
1997
Fiction
Distorture by Rob Hardin
Nonfiction
Transgender Warriors by Leslie Feinberg
Poetry
Home in Three Days. Don't Wash. by Linda Smukler
Politics
Censored 1997: The News That Didn't Make the News: The Year's Top 25 Censored News Stories by Peter Phillips
Sex
The Guide to Getting It On! by the staff of Goofy Foot Press
Drugs
Everything I Know I Learned on Acid, edited by Coco Pekelis
Music
I Need More by Iggy Pop
Art/Photo
Nothing But the Girl, edited by Susie Bright and Jill Posener
Graphic Novel
Real Americans Admit: "The Worst Thing I've Ever Done!" by Ted Rall
'Zine
Bust, edited and published by Celina Hex and Betty Boob
Kids
The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children edited by Davida Adedjouma
Outstanding Independent Press of the Year
AK
Cleis
Incommunicado
Special Recognition/Wildcard Categories
This Ain't Yer Family's Photo Album:
Death Scenes by Katherine Dunn and Sean Tejaratchi
Recall Hoekstra Award for Special Merit in Literary Publishing:
FC2/Black Ice
Don't Cook With Your Mouth Full
Intercourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge
1996 Winners
Fiction
A Void, by Georges Perec translated by Gilbert Adair
Nonfiction
Censored: The News that Didn't Make the News--and Why by Carl Jensen and Project Censored
Poetry
In Defense of Mumia, edited by S.E. Anderson & Tony Medina
Politics
Race for Justice: Mumia Abu-Jamal's Fight Against the Death Penalty, by Leonard Weinglass
Sex
Breathless: Erotica by Kitty Tsui
Drugs
Pharmako/Poeia : Plant Powers, Poisons, and Herbcraft by Dale Pendell
Music
Get in the Van: On the Road with Black Flag by Henry Rollins
Graphic Novel
The Narrative Corpse, edited by Art Spiegelman & R. Sikoryak
Zine
Ben is Dead by Darby Romeo
Outstanding Independent Press of the Year
Serpent's Tail/High Risk Books
Special Recognition/Wildcard Categories
Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash
Pirate Utopias: Moorish Corsairs & European Renegadoes by Peter Lamborn Wilson
Kool Kids
Marco Solo, by James Schwinn and Gail Harlow
Cemetery Art
Saving Graces: Images of Women in European Cemeteries by David Robinson
