Manhattan Book Group gives Chaz Holesworth gold for memoir in 2026 book awards

Manhattan Book Group says Chaz Holesworth’s memoir “Life and How to Live it: Begin the Begin” won gold in the 2026 Manhattan Book Awards. The recognition puts a spotlight on an independent-publishing memoir built around poverty, faith, music and survival.

Why it matters: - The gold award gives Chaz Holesworth’s memoir national visibility in a competition focused on independent and hybrid publishers. - The recognition can help the first volume in the Life and How to Live it series reach more readers looking for coming-of-age memoirs and personal survival stories. - Manhattan Book Awards gold honors are reserved for books judged to show exceptional craft within their genre.

What happened: - Manhattan Book Group announced that Life and How to Live it: Begin the Begin by Chaz Holesworth won gold in the 2026 Manhattan Book Awards. - The announcement was dated July 25, 2026. - The award recognizes storytelling, originality and imaginative scope in contemporary publishing.

The details: - The Manhattan Book Awards operates as a year-round literary recognition program for books from independent and hybrid publishers worldwide. - An industry-experienced panel judges titles on narrative strength, originality, production quality and overall impact. - The winning memoir is set in Pennsylvania in the 1980s. - Holesworth writes about growing up with a heroin-addicted father and a devoted evangelical Christian mother. - The book describes childhood marked by roaches, rats, gangs and drugs. - The memoir follows an isolated 13-year-old confronting a bleak future and rising anger. - A visit to an arcade becomes a turning point when Holesworth hears R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” on a jukebox. - The book frames that moment as a step toward survival and self-discovery. - Manhattan Book Group describes the memoir as candid and darkly funny. - More information was not included in the release; no direct book link was provided.

Between the lines: - The award fits a broader publishing trend: memoirs that combine harsh personal history with music and culture can stand out in crowded independent-book markets. - Manhattan Book Group’s award program also functions as a visibility tool for authors, not just a trophy program. - The book’s marketing emphasizes faith, loss, shame and identity, which suggests the publisher sees the memoir as both personal and marketable to readers drawn to emotional recovery narratives.

What's next: - Holesworth’s book remains positioned as the first volume in the Life and How to Live it memoir series. - Manhattan Book Group is likely to continue promoting the title through its publishing and awards platforms. - The release does not provide a publication date, but it does encourage readers to buy the book now.

The bottom line: - The gold medal gives Life and How to Live it: Begin the Begin a credential that can help it break out in independent publishing and reach a wider audience.