Firecracker Alternative Book Awards

Established in 1996, the Firecracker Alternative Book Awards (FAB), were created to celebrate the best in alternative publishing. Today, the awards are called the CLMP Firecracker Awards. The CLMP says the awards "spotlight books and magazines making a sparkling contribution to our literary culture, and publishers striving to introduce important voices to readers far and wide."

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