1998 Whitbread Awards

The Whitbread Awards (since 2006 called the Costa Book Awards) are among the United Kingdom's most prestigious literary awards. They were launched in 1971, are given both for high literary merit but also for works that are enjoyable reading and whose aim is to convey the enjoyment of reading to the widest possible audience. This page gives details of the awards given in the year 1998.

Contents 1 Book of the Year 2 Children's Book 3 First Novel 4 Novel 5 Biography 6 Poetry 7 References

Book of the Year

• Ted Hughes, Birthday Letters

Children's Book

Winner:

• David Almond, Skellig

Shortlist:

• Robert Swindells, Abomination
• J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• James Riordan, Sweet Clarinet

First Novel

Winner:

• Giles Foden, The Last King of Scotland

Shortlist:

• Gavin Kramer, Shopping
• Magnus Mills, The Restraint of Beasts
• Luke Sutherland, Jelly Roll

Novel

Winner:

• Justin Cartwright, Leading the Cheers

Shortlist:

• Ronan Bennett, the catastrophist
• Barbara Trapido, The Travelling Hornplayer

Biography

Winner:

• Amanda Foreman, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

Shortlist:

• John Bayley, Iris, A memoir of Iris Murdoch
• Ian Kershaw, Hitler, Volume One Hubris 1889–1936

Poetry

Winner:

• Ted Hughes, Birthday Letters

Shortlist:

• Philip Gross, The Wasting Game
• Paul Farley, The Boy from the Chemist is Here to See you

References

• Previous winners

Costa Book Awards (formerly the Whitbread Book Awards) 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011