British Book Awards

The British Book Awards or Nibbies are literary awards for the best UK writers and their works, administered by The Bookseller. The awards have had several previous names, owners and sponsors since being launched in 1990, including the National Book Awards from 2010 to 2014.

Book award history

The British Book Awards or Nibbies ran from 1990–2009 and founded by the editor of Publishing News.^[1] The award was then acquired by Agile Marketing which renamed it the National Book Awards with headline sponsors Galaxy National Book Awards (2010–11) (sponsored by Galaxy) and Specsavers National Book Awards (2012–2014) (sponsored by Specsavers).^[2] There were no National Book Awards after 2014.^[3] In 2017 the award was acquired by The Bookseller and renamed to the original British Book Awards or Nibbies.^[1]

In 2005, The Bookseller launched a separate scheme, The Bookseller Retail Awards (winners not listed in this article). In 2010, running parallel to the National Book Awards, The Bookseller combined The Nibbies with its retail awards to produce The Bookseller Industry Awards (winners not listed in this article). In 2017 The British Book Industry Awards were renamed as The British Book Awards after it acquired the National Book Awards from Agile Marketing.^[1]

It is known as the Nibbies because of the golden nib-shaped trophy given to winners.^[4]

Award winners

Author of the Year

2020 – Bernardine Evaristo^[5]
2019 – Lee Child^[6]
2018 – Philip Pullman^[7]

Book of the Year

Prior to 2010 the Best was a unique winner. Starting in 2010, the Best was chosen by the public via open internet vote from among the winning books in the other categories.

2020 – Queenie – Candice Carty-Williams^[5]
2019 – Normal People – Sally Rooney^[6]
2018 – Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman
2017 – The Essex Serpent – Sarah Perry
2015-2016 – (no award)
2014 – The Miniaturist – Jessie Burton^[8]
2013 – The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Neil Gaiman^[9]
2012 – Fifty Shades of Grey – EL James^[10]
2011 – How to Be a Woman – Caitlin Moran
2010 – One Day – David Nicholls
2009 – The Suspicions of Mr Whicher – Kate Summerscale
2008 – On Chesil Beach – Ian McEwan (Jonathan Cape)
2007 – The Dangerous Book for Boys – Con and Hal Iggulden (HarperCollins)
2006 – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – JK Rowling (Bloomsbury)
2005 – The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown (Corgi)
2004 – Eats, Shoots & Leaves – Lynne Truss (Profile)
2003 – Stupid White Men – Michael Moore (Penguin)
2002 – Billy – Pamela Stephenson (HarperCollins)
2001 – Man and Boy – Tony Parsons (HarperCollins)
2000 – Managing My Life – Alex Ferguson (Hodder & Stoughton)
1999 – Birthday Letters – Ted Hughes (Faber & Faber)
1998 – Bridget Jones's Diary – Helen Fielding (Picador)
1997 – Longitude – Dava Sobel (Fourth Estate)
1996 – Delia Smith's Winter Collection (BBC Books)
1995 – Writing Home – Alan Bennett (Faber & Faber)
1994 – Wild Swans – Jung Chang (Flamingo)

Children's Book of the Year

Previously called British Children's Book of the Year. Renamed to Children's Book of the Year in 2010.

2020 – A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson^[5]
2019 –
2018 – The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris — The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas (joint winners)
2017 – The Girl of Ink & Stars - Kiran Millwood
2015-2016 (no award)
2014 – Awful Auntie – David Walliams^[11]
2013 – Demon Dentist – David Walliams^[12]
2012 – Ratburger – David Walliams^[13]
2011 – A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness
2010 – Zog – Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
2009 – Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
2008 – Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman – Francesca Simon (Orion Children's Books)
2007 – Flanimals of the Deep – Ricky Gervais (Faber & Faber)
2006 – Ark Angel – Anthony Horowitz (Walker Books)
2005 – The Gruffalo's Child – Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (Macmillan Children's Books)
2004 – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon (David Fickling)
2003 – Girls in Tears – Jacqueline Wilson (Corgi Children's)
2002 – Artemis Fowl – Eoin Colfer (Viking/Puffin)
2001 – The Amber Spyglass – Philip Pullman (Scholastic)
2000 – The Illustrated Mum – Jacqueline Wilson (Doubleday)
1999 – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J. K. Rowling (Bloomsbury)
1998 – Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – J. K. Rowling (Bloomsbury)
1997 – Northern Lights – Philip Pullman (Scholastic)
1996 – The Hutchinson Treasury of Children's Literature – ed. Alison Sage (Hutchinson)

Début Book of the Year

Previously called the Newcomer of the Year. Name changed to New Writer of the Year in 2010. Name changed to "Début Book of the Year" in 2017.

2018 – Gail Honeyman – Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
2017 – Garth Greenwell – What Belongs to You
2015-2016 – (no award)
2014 – Jessie Burton – The Miniaturist
2013 – Liza Klaussman – Tigers in Red Weather^[12]
2012 – Rachel Joyce – The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry^[13]
2011 – Sarah Winman – When God Was a Rabbit
2010 – Edmund de Waal – The Hare with Amber Eyes
2009 – Tom Rob Smith –
2008 – Catherine O'Flynn –
2007 – Victoria Hislop –
2006 – Marina Lewycka –
2005 – Susanna Clarke –
2004 – Monica Ali – Brick Lane
2003 – Allison Pearson
2002 – Pete McCarthy
2001 – Zadie Smith – White Teeth
2000 – Chris Stewart – Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucia
1999 – Borders UK –
1998 – Daisy & Tom –
1997 – Kate Atkinson –
1990 – Bryce Courtenay –

Fiction Book of the Year

Previously called Popular Fiction Award. Name changed to Popular Fiction Book of the Year in 2010. Name changed to Fiction Book of the Year in 2017.

2020 – Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo^[14]
2019 – Normal People – Sally Rooney^[6]
2018 – Reservoir 13 – Jon McGregor
2017 – The Essex Serpent – Sarah Perry
2015-2016 – (no award)
2014 – The Shock of the Fall – Nathan Filer^[11]
2013 – An Officer and a Spy – Robert Harris^[12]
2012 – Fifty Shades of Grey – E. L. James^[13]
2011 – A Tiny Bit Marvellous – Dawn French
2010 – One Day – David Nicholls
2009 – Devil May Care – Sebastian Faulks (Penguin)
2008 – The Memory Keeper's Daughter – Kim Edwards (Penguin)
2006 – Anybody Out There – Marian Keyes (Michael Joseph)
2006 – The Time Traveler's Wife – Audrey Niffenegger (Vintage)

Crime & Thriller Book of the Year

Previously called the Crime Thriller of the Year. Name changed to Thriller & Crime Novel of the Year in 2011. Name changed to Crime & Thriller Book of the Year in 2017.

2020 – My Sister, the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite^[5]
2019 – Our House – Louise Candlish
2018 – The Dry – Jane Harper
2017 – Dodgers – Bill Beverly
2015–2016 – (no award)
2014 – I Am Pilgrim – Terry Hayes^[11]
2013 – The Carrier – Sophie Hannah (Hodder)^[12]
2012 – A Wanted Man – Lee Child^[13]
2011 – Before I Go to Sleep – S. J. Watson
2010 – (no award)
2009 – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson
2008 – Book of the Dead – Patricia Cornwell (Little, Brown)
2007 – The Naming of the Dead – Ian Rankin (Orion)
2006 – The Take – Martina Cole (Headline)
2005 – Fleshmarket Close – Ian Rankin (Orion)

Non-Fiction: Lifestyle Book of the Year

2020 – Pinch of Nom by Kay Featherstone and Kate Allinson^[14]

2019 – Bosh! by Henry Firth & Ian Theasby
2018 – 5 Ingredients by Jamie Oliver
2017 – Hello, is this planet Earth? by Tim Peake

Non-Fiction: Narrative Book of the Year

2020 – Three Women by Lisa Taddeo^[5]
2019 – Becoming by Michelle Obama
2018 – Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
2017 – East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity by Philippe Sands

Bestseller Award

Named Bestseller of the Year in 1991. Renamed Bestseller Award in 2017.

2017 – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
1992–2016 – (no award)
1991 – Delia Smith's Christmas (BBC Books)

Retired awards

The following awards are no longer active.

Biography/Autobiography of the Year

Previously called Biography of the Year. Name changed to Biography/Autobiography of the Year in 2010.

2014 – Please, Mister Postman – Alan Johnson^[11]
2013 – David Jason: My Life – David Jason^[12]
2012 – My Animals and Other Family – Clare Balding^[13]
2011 – Charles Dickens – Claire Tomalin
2010 – The Fry Chronicles – Stephen Fry
2009 – Dreams From My Father – Barack Obama (Canongate)
2008 – My Booky Wook – Russell Brand (Hodder & Stoughton)
2007 – The Sound of Laughter – Peter Kay (Century)
2006 – Sharon Osbourne Extreme – Sharon Osbourne (Time Warner)
2005 – My Life – Bill Clinton (Hutchinson)
2004 – Toast – Nigel Slater (Fourth Estate)
2003 – Churchill: A Biography – Roy Jenkins (Pan)

Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year

2014 – Love, Nina – Nina Stibbe^[11]
2013 – I Am Malala – Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb^[12]
2012 – Is It Just Me – Miranda Hart^[13]
2011 – How To Be a Woman – Caitlin Moran
2010 – The Making of Modern Britain – Andrew Marr

Audiobook of the Year

2014 – Awful Auntie – David Walliams^[15]
2013 – The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Neil Gaiman, read by the author (Headline)^[12]
2012 – The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year – Sue Townsend, read by Caroline Quentin^[13]
2011 – My Dear I Wanted to Tell You – Louisa Young, read by Dan Stevens
2005–2010 – (no award)
2004 – Forgotten Voices of the Great War – Max Arthur (Random House)
2003 – Series of Unfortunate Events – written by Lemony Snicket, read by Tim Curry (Collins)
2002 – The Laying on of Hands – written and read by Alan Bennett (BBC Radio Collection)

Food & Drink Book of the Year

2014 – Plenty More – Yotam Ottolenghi^[15]
2013 – Eat – Nigel Slater (HarperCollins)^[12]
2012 – The Hairy Dieters – Si King and Dave Myers^[13]
2011 – The Good Cook – Simon Hopkinson
2010 – Plenty – Yotam Ottolenghi

Paperback of the Year

2011 – Room – Emma Donoghue

Outstanding Achievement

Previously called the Lifetime Achievement Award (1993–2009). Renamed to Outstanding Achievement Award in 2010.

2014 – Mary Berry^[11]
2013 – (no award)
2012 – Ian Rankin^[13]
2011 – Jackie Collins
2010 – Martin Amis and Terry Pratchett
2009 – (no award)
2008 – J. K. Rowling
2007 – John Grisham
2006 – Jamie Oliver
2005 – Sir John Mortimer
2004 – Sir David Attenborough
2003 – Alan Bennett
2002 – Mark Barty-King
2001 – Ernest Hecht
2000 – Spike Milligan
1999 – Maeve Binchy
1998 – Jilly Cooper
1997 – Paul Scherer
1996 – Wilbur Smith
1995 – Delia Smith
1994 – Catherine Cookson
1993 – Dr. D. G. Hessayon

UK Author of the Year

Previously called Author of the Year. Renamed to UK Author of the Year in 2010, notwithstanding the fact the award has been given to non-UK authors.

2014 – David Nicholls – Us^[11]
2013 – Kate Atkinson – Life After Life^[12]
2012 – Hilary Mantel – Bring Up the Bodies^[13]
2011 – Alan Hollinghurst – The Stranger's Child
2010 – Hilary Mantel – Wolf Hall
2009 – Aravind Adiga
2008 – Ian McEwan
2007 – Richard Dawkins
2006 – Alan Bennett
2005 – Sheila Hancock
2004 – Alexander McCall Smith
2003 – Sarah Waters
2002 – Philip Pullman
2001 – Nigella Lawson
2000 – J. K. Rowling^[16]
1999 – Beryl Bainbridge^[17]
1998 – Louis de Bernières
1997 – Bill Bryson
1996 – Salman Rushdie
1995 – Sebastian Faulks
1994 – Roddy Doyle
1993 – Andrew Morton
1992 – Peter Mayle
1991 – Peter Ackroyd
1990 – Prince of Wales

Illustrated Children's Book of the Year

1995 – The Most Amazing Pop-Up Science Book – Jay Young (Watts Books)
1994 – Mummy Laid an Egg – Babette Cole (Jonathan Cape)
1993 – Penguin Small – Mick Inkpen (Hodder)
1992 – Farmer Duck – Helen Oxenbury (Walker Books)
1991 – The Mousehole Cat – Nicola Bayley (Walker Books)

Illustrated Book of the Year

2004 – England's Thousand Best Houses – Simon Jenkins (Allen Lane)
2003 – Sahara – Michael Palin (Weidenfeld Nicolson Illustrated)
2002 – The Blue Planet – Andrew Byatt, Alastair Fothergill, Martha Holmes (BBC Worldwide)
2001 – The Beatles Anthology (Cassell)
2000 – Century – Bruce Bernard (Phaidon Press)
1999 – Ethel and Ernest – Raymond Briggs (Jonathan Cape)
1998 – The Lost Gardens of Heligan – Tim Smit (Gollancz)
1997 – Flora Britannica – Richard Mabey (Sinclair-Stevenson)
1996 – The River Cafe Cookbook – Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers (Ebury Press)
1995 – The Art Book (Phaidon Press)

The TV and Film Book of the Year

2007 – The Devil Wears Prada – Lauren Weisberger (HarperCollins)
2006 – The Constant Gardener – John le Carré (Hodder & Stoughton)
2005 – Himalaya – Michael Palin (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
2004 – How Clean Is Your House? – Kim Woodburn and Aggie MacKenzie (Michael Joseph)
2003 – What Not to Wear – Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

The Literary Fiction Award

2005 – Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell (Sceptre)
2004 – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon (Jonathan Cape)

The History Book of the Year

2005 – William Pitt the Younger: A Biography – William Hague (HarperCollins)
2004 – Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar – Simon Sebag Montefiore (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

The Sports Book of the Year

2007 – Gerrard: My Autobiography – Steven Gerrard (Bantam)
2006 – Being Freddie – Andrew Flintoff (Hodder & Stoughton)
2005 – Gazza: My Story – Paul Gascoigne (Headline)
2004 – Martin Johnson: The Autobiography – Martin Johnson (Headline)

The deciBel Writer of the Year

2007 – Jackie Kay
2006 – Diana Evans
2005 – Hari Kunzru

The Fastest Selling Biography of All Time

2004 – My Side – David Beckham (CollinsWillow)

The Travel Writer of the Year

1993 – Michael Palin – Pole to Pole (BBC Books)
1992 – Mark Shand – Travels on my Elephant (Jonathan Cape)
1991 – V. S. Naipaul – India (Heinemann)
1990 – Peter Mayle – A Year in Provence (Hamish Hamilton)

The Fantasy and Science Fiction Author of the Year

1994 – Terry Pratchett

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "The British Book Awards - a History". The Bookseller. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ "About the awards". nationalbookawards.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 November 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2012. Before 2010 the awards were known as the British Book Awards. Specsavers became the sponsor of the 2012 awards, the new deal follows the previous 5-year partnership with Galaxy.
^ "Home page". National Book Awards. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. There will be no event during 2015 and no date yet set for title submissions.
^ "About the British Book Awards". The Bookseller. 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Flood, Alison (30 June 2020). "Evaristo and Carty-Williams become first black authors to win top British Book awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ ^a ^b ^c Bookseller Staff (13 May 2019). "Sally Rooney's Normal People takes Book of the Year at British Book Awards". The Bookseller. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
^ "Pullman Wins British Book Awards". Locus. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
^ "Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist Wins Specsavers Book Of The Year 2014 Award". National Book Awards. 22 December 2015. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
^ Press Association (26 December 2013). "Neil Gaiman novel wins Book of the Year". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
^ Flood, Alison (26 December 2012). "Fifty Shades of Grey voted the most popular book of 2012". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Flood, Alison (27 November 2014). "David Nicholls and David Walliams win top prizes at National Book Awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Neil Gaiman Wins Specsavers Book of the Year 2013!". nationalbookawards.co.uk. 26 December 2013. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Flood, Alison (5 December 2012). "EL James comes out on top at National Book awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
^ ^a ^b "Candice Carty-Williams named first black woman to win top book prize". The Irish News. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Mary Berry wins outstanding achievement book award". BBC News. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
^ "JK Rowling Biography". Biography Channel. Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013. Rowling was named Author of The Year at the British Book Awards in 2000.
^ "Entertainment Bainbridge author of the year". BBC. 5 February 1999. Retrieved 26 August 2013.

External links

Official website
British Book Awards - previous winners at the Wayback Machine (archived 5 April 2007)

[hist-1] "The British Book Awards - a History". The Bookseller. Retrieved 11 August 2017.

[2] "About the awards". nationalbookawards.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 November 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2012. Before 2010 the awards were known as the British Book Awards. Specsavers became the sponsor of the 2012 awards, the new deal follows the previous 5-year partnership with Galaxy.

[3] "Home page". National Book Awards. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. There will be no event during 2015 and no date yet set for title submissions.

[about2017-4] "About the British Book Awards". The Bookseller. 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.

[Flood2020-5] Flood, Alison (30 June 2020). "Evaristo and Carty-Williams become first black authors to win top British Book awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[Bookseller2019-6] Bookseller Staff (13 May 2019). "Sally Rooney's Normal People takes Book of the Year at British Book Awards". The Bookseller. Retrieved 30 June 2020.

[7] "Pullman Wins British Book Awards". Locus. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2020.

[8] "Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist Wins Specsavers Book Of The Year 2014 Award". National Book Awards. 22 December 2015. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2015.

[9] Press Association (26 December 2013). "Neil Gaiman novel wins Book of the Year". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 December 2013.

[10] Flood, Alison (26 December 2012). "Fifty Shades of Grey voted the most popular book of 2012". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2012.

[flood2014-11] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Flood, Alison (27 November 2014). "David Nicholls and David Walliams win top prizes at National Book Awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2015.

[nba2013-12] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Neil Gaiman Wins Specsavers Book of the Year 2013!". nationalbookawards.co.uk. 26 December 2013. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.

[flood2012-13] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Flood, Alison (5 December 2012). "EL James comes out on top at National Book awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2012.

[:0-14] "Candice Carty-Williams named first black woman to win top book prize". The Irish News. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.

[bbc2014-15] "Mary Berry wins outstanding achievement book award". BBC News. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2015.

[16] "JK Rowling Biography". Biography Channel. Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013. Rowling was named Author of The Year at the British Book Awards in 2000.

[17] "Entertainment Bainbridge author of the year". BBC. 5 February 1999. Retrieved 26 August 2013.

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