Samuel Johnson Prize

The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction (motto: "All the Best Stories are True") is one of the most prestigious[1][2] prizes for non-fiction writing. It was founded in 1999 following the demise of the NCR Book Award and based on an anonymous donation. The prize is named after Samuel Johnson. The prize covers current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography and the arts.[2] The competition is open to authors of any nationality whose work is published in the UK in English.[2]

From its inception until 2008 the award was fully named The BBC FOUR Samuel Johnson Prize and managed by BBC Four. In 2009 it was renamed as BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction[3] and managed by BBC Two. The new name reflected the BBC’s commitment to broadcasting coverage of the Prize on BBC 2, The Culture Show.[3] Prior to the name change in 2009, the monetary prize amount was GB£30,000 for the winner, and each finalist received £2500. After 2009 the monetary prize was £20,000 for the winner, and each finalist received £1000.[3]

Contents

2011

The winner was Frank Dikötter for Mao's Great Famine: The History of China's Most Devastating Catastrophe, 1958–1962.[4]

The shortlist was announced 14 June 2011.[5] The monetary prize for 2011 was £20,000 for the winner.[5]

Shortlist

2010

The winner was Barbara Demick for Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea

The longlist was announced 22 April 2010.[6] The shortlist was announced May 26.[7]

Shortlist

2009

The winner was Philip Hoare for Leviathan or, The Whale

The longlist was announced 14 May 2009.[8] The shortlist was announced in late May. The judges announced the winner of the prize at an awards event at King's Place, London on 30 June. The monetary prize for 2009 was £20,000 for the winner, and each finalist receives £1000.[3]

Shortlist

2008

The winner was Kate Summerscale for The Suspicions of Mr Whicher Or The Murder at Road Hill House (about the Constance Kent case).

Shortlist

2007

The winner was Rajiv Chandrasekaran for Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone

Shortlist

2006

The winner was James S. Shapiro for 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare

Shortlist

2005

The winner was Jonathan Coe for Like A Fiery Elephant: The Story of B. S. Johnson (about B. S. Johnson)

Shortlist

2004

The winner was Anna Funder for Stasiland

Shortlist

2003

The winner was T. J. Binyon for Pushkin

Shortlist

2002

The winner was Margaret MacMillan for Peacemakers: The Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and Its Attempt to End War

Shortlist

2001

The winner was Michael Burleigh for The Third Reich

Shortlist

2000

The winner was David Cairns for Berlioz: Volume 2

Shortlist

1999

The winner was Antony Beevor for Stalingrad

Shortlist

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Science dominates Samuel Johnson prize longlist", The Guardian, 14 May 2009. "..the UK's most prestigious non-fiction award.."
  2. ^ a b c About the prize, Samuel Johnson Prize official website. "The UK’s most Prestigious non-fiction award".
  3. ^ a b c d The 2009 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction, 17 April 2009
  4. ^ Flood, Alison (6 July 2011). "Samuel Johnson prize won by 'hugely important' study of Mao". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jul/06/samuel-johnson-prize-mao. 
  5. ^ a b "2011 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize For Non-fiction Shortlist announced", 14 June 2011.
  6. ^ "BBC SAMUEL JOHNSON LONGLIST ANNOUNCED"
  7. ^ "FROM ANGLING TO ANGLES, BBC SAMUEL JOHNSON SHORTLIST ‘DEFIES SIMPLISTIC CATEGORISATION’"
  8. ^ 2009 Longlist

External links