Jones has found in accurately portraying the character of families. Jones' novels portray African-American experiences in the Southern United States, specifically how their lives are impacted by the unjust systems they live in. Leaving Atlanta portrays how the black community of Atlanta was failed by its government during the Atlanta Child Murders of 1979-81, and the novel ends with no justice served. An American Marriage was written as a result of Jones researching the problems surrounding mass incarceration in the United States, and its impact on black men and women. Jones has spoken about Toni Morrison's influence on her work, specifically Song of Solomon for its portrayal of the black middle-class and characterization of female characters. Honors and awards Jones is a recipient of the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Debut Fiction, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Fine Arts from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the United States Artist Fellowship, the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and the Radcliffe Institute Bunting Fellowship. Her novel, Silver Sparrow, was added to the NEA Big Read Library of classics in 2016. She is also a member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers and was inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame in 2018. In February 2018, Oprah Winfrey announced that her latest book club pick was Jones’ novel, An American Marriage. Winfrey said, "It's one of those books I could not put down. And as soon as I did, I called up the author, and said, 'I've got to talk to you about this story.'" On June 5, An American Marriage was announced as the winner of the 2019 Women's Prize for Fiction. Bibliography Leaving Atlanta, Warner Books, 2002, The Untelling, Warner Books, 2005, Silver Sparrow, Algonquin Books, 2011, Atlanta Noir (ed.), Akashic Books, 2017, An American Marriage, Algonquin Books, 2018, , References External links Official page Appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers (3/19/18) Book Review: Atlanta Noir by BRENNAN COLLINS, GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY 1970 births Living people African-American women writers 21st-century American novelists American women novelists University of Iowa alumni Arizona State University alumni Spelman College alumni 21st-century American women writers African-American novelists Writers from Atlanta Novelists from Georgia (U.S. state)