In a thrilling moment for literature enthusiasts worldwide, the coveted Baillie Gifford Prize has unveiled its 2023 shortlist. These six remarkable books are now poised to compete for the prestigious literary honour, as announced by the chair of judges, Frederick Studemann, during a live event at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.
The 2023 Baillie Gifford Prize shortlist:
- “Time to Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock’s Gender Service for Children” by Hannah Barnes (British) – Swift Press.
- “Red Memory: Living, Remembering and Forgetting China’s Cultural Revolution” by Tania Branigan (British) – Faber & Faber.
- “Revolutionary Spring: Fighting for a New World 1848-1849” by Christopher Clark (Australian) – Allen Lane, Penguin Random House.
- “Time’s Echo: The Second World War, The Holocaust, and The Music of Remembrance” by Jeremy Eichler (American) – Faber & Faber.
- “Mr. B: George Balanchine’s Twentieth Century” by Jennifer Homans (American) – Granta Books, Granta.
- “Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World” by John Vaillant (American-Canadian) – Sceptre, Hodder & Stoughton.
These six outstanding works were meticulously selected by this year’s distinguished judging panel, which included Frederick Studemann, Literary Editor of the Financial Times, as the chair. Other members of the panel included historian and author Andrea Wulf, theatre critic for The Guardian Arifa Akbar, the accomplished writer and historian Ruth Scurr, journalist and critic Tanjil Rashid, and the Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts, Andrew Haldane.
Read: Baillie Gifford Prize 2023: longlist looks at historical storytelling
Their rigorous deliberation resulted in the shortlist from a pool of 12 exceptional books, chosen from a staggering 265 titles published between November 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023.
The momentous announcement of the Baillie Gifford Prize winner for 2023 is scheduled to take place on Thursday, November 16, at a prestigious award ceremony hosted at the Science Museum. This event will be accessible to a global audience through live streaming across the prize’s social media channels.
Literary enthusiasts and book aficionados eagerly await this date, when one of these remarkable works will be crowned as the victor, securing its place in the annals of outstanding literature.
This article contains affiliate links via Bookshop.org in which we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you, in order to support local bookshops. We have not been commissioned to review books and services.
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated, as everything you give we put back so we can provide the best information.
Your contribution is appreciated, as everything you give we put back so we can provide the best information.
Your contribution is appreciated, as everything you give we put back so we can provide the best information.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly
1 comment
[…] Gifford sponsors 11 literary festivals throughout the UK and presents an annual prize for non-fiction books. The firm has previously defended its position, having reiterated that it was “not a […]