Wales Book of the Year
Annual Welsh literary award
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The Wales Book of the Year is a Welsh literary award given annually to the best Welsh and English language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by Welsh or Welsh interest authors. Established in 1992, the awards are currently administered by Literature Wales, and supported by the Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government and the Welsh Books Council.
| Wales Book of the Year | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best Welsh and English language works by Welsh or Welsh interest authors |
| Location | Cardiff, Wales |
| Country | Wales |
| Presented by | Literature Wales |
| First award | 1992 |
| Website | literaturewales |
Competition format
The longlist of ten works in each language is published in April and the shortlist of three works in each language at the Hay Festival in May. The winners are announced in June or July. Since 2006, the winners have each received £10,000. From 2007, four runners-up (two in each language) also each receive £1000. In 2009, Media Wales sponsored a voted "People's Choice" award for the English-language works.[1]
The format was again changed in 2012, expanding the entries to three categories, fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry; with English and Welsh language winners in each field.[2] In 2019, a sub-category for books for children and young people was added, to be awarded from the 2020 award onwards.[3] An overall winner in each language is still chosen.
Regarding eligibility, the competition specifically excludes self-published authors.[4] The Welsh national book award therefore differs from Ireland's national book award, since the latter does not preclude self-published titles from being nominated.[5]
English language winners
| Year | Author | Title | Genre | Publisher | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Emyr Humphreys | Bonds of Attachment | Fiction | Macdonald/Sphere | |
| 1993 | Robert Minhinnick | Watching the Fire Eater | Non-fiction | Seren | |
| 1994 | Paul Ferris | Caitlin: The Life of Caitlin Thomas | Non-fiction | Hutchinson | |
| 1995 | Duncan Bush | Masks | Poetry | Seren | |
| 1996 | Nigel Jenkins | Gwalia in Khasia | Non-fiction | Gomer | |
| 1997 | Siân James | Not Singing Exactly | Fiction | Honno | |
| 1998 | Mike Jenkins | Wanting to Belong | Fiction | Seren | |
| 1999 | Emyr Humphreys | The Gift of a Daughter | Fiction | Seren | |
| 2000 | Sheenagh Pugh | Stonelight | Poetry | Seren | |
| 2001 | Stephen Knight | Mr Schnitzel | Fiction | Viking | |
| 2002 | Stevie Davies | The Element of Water | Fiction | The Women's Press | |
| 2003 | Charlotte Williams | Sugar and Slate | Non-fiction | Planet | |
| 2004 | Niall Griffiths | Stump | Fiction | Jonathan Cape | |
| 2005 | Owen Sheers | The Dust Diaries | Non-fiction | Faber and Faber | |
| 2006 | Robert Minhinnick | To Babel and Back | Fiction | Seren | |
| 2007 | Lloyd Jones | Mr Cassini | Fiction | Seren | |
| 2008 | Dannie Abse | The Presence | Non-fiction | Hutchinson | |
| 2009 | Deborah Kay Davies | Grace, Tamar and Laszlo the Beautiful | Fiction | Parthian | |
| 2010 | Philip Gross | I Spy Pinhole Eye | Poetry | Cinnamon | |
| 2011 | John Harrison | Cloud Road | Non-fiction | Parthian | |
| 2012 | Patrick McGuinness | The Last Hundred Days | Fiction | Seren | [6] |
| 2013 | Rhian Edwards | Clueless Dogs | Poetry | Seren | [7] |
| 2014 | Owen Sheers | Pink Mist | Poetry | Faber and Faber | |
| 2015 | Patrick McGuinness | Other People's Countries | Non-fiction | Jonathan Cape | [8] |
| 2016 | Thomas Morris | We Don't Know What We're Doing | Fiction | Faber and Faber | [9] |
| 2017 | Alys Conran | Pigeon | Fiction | Parthian | [10] |
| 2018 | Robert Minhinnick | Diary of the Last Man | Poetry | Carcanet | [11] |
| 2019 | Ailbhe Darcy | Insistence | Poetry | Bloodaxe Books | [12] |
| 2020 | Niall Griffiths | Broken Ghost | Fiction | Jonathan Cape | [13] |
| 2021 | Catrin Kean | Salt | Fiction | Gomer | [14] |
| 2022 | Nadifa Mohamed | The Fortune Men | Fiction | Viking, Penguin Random House | [15] |
| 2023 | Caryl Lewis | Drift | Fiction | Doubleday | [16] |
| 2024 | Tom Bullough | Sarn Helen: A Journey Through Wales, Past, Present and Future | Non-fiction | Granta | [17] |
Creative non-fiction
- 2012: Richard Gwyn The Vagabond's Breakfast (Alcemi)
- 2014: Meic Stephens Rhys Davies: A Writer's Life
- 2016: Jasmine Donahaye Losing Israel (Seren)[9]
Roland Mathias Poetry Award
This award was discontinued in 2020.[18]
- 2012 Gwyneth Lewis – Sparrow Tree (Bloodaxe Books)
- 2014 Owen Sheers – Pink Mist (Faber & Faber)
- 2015 Tiffany Atkinson – So Many Moving Parts (Bloodaxe Books)[8]
- 2016 Philip Gross – Love Songs of Carbon (Bloodaxe Books)[9]
- 2019 Ailbhe Darcy, Insistence (Bloodaxe Books)[12]
Welsh language winners
Fiction
Source:[19]
- 1992: Gerallt Lloyd Owen Cilmeri (Gwasg Gwynedd)
- 1993: Robin Llywelyn Seren Wen ar Gefndir Gwyn (Gomer)
- 1994: T. Robin Chapman W.J. Gruffydd (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru)
- 1995: Aled Islwyn Unigolion, Unigeddau (Gomer)
- 1996: Sonia Edwards Glöynnod (Gwasg Gwynedd)
- 1997: Gerwyn Wiliams Tir Neb: Rhyddiaith Gymraeg a’r Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru)
- 1998: Iwan Llwyd Dan Ddylanwad (Gwasg Tâf)
- 1999: R. M. Jones Ysbryd y Cwlwm: Delwedd y Genedl yn ein Llenyddiaeth (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru)
- 2000: Gwyneth Lewis Y Llofrudd Iaith (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas)
- 2001: Owen Martell Cadw dy ffydd, brawd (Gomer)
- 2002: Grahame Davies Cadwyni Rhyddid (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas)
- 2003: Angharad Price O! Tyn y Gorchudd (Gomer)
- 2004: Jerry Hunter Llwch Cenhedloedd (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
- 2005: Caryl Lewis Martha, Jac a Sianco (Y Lolfa)
- 2006: Rhys Evans Gwynfor: Rhag Pob Brad (Y Lolfa)
- 2007: Llwyd Owen Ffydd Gobaith Cariad (Y Lolfa)
- 2008: Gareth Miles Y Proffwyd a'l Ddwy Jesebel (Hutchinson)
- 2009: Wiliam Owen Roberts Petrograd (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas)
- 2010: John Davies, Cymru: Y 100 lle i'w gweld cyn marw (Y Lolfa)
- 2011: Ned Thomas, Bydoedd (Y Lolfa)
- 2012: Jon Gower, Y Storiwr (Gomer)[6]
- 2013: Heini Gruffudd, Yr Erlid [7]
- 2014: Ioan Kidd Dewis (Gomer)
- 2015: Gareth F. Williams Awst yn Anogia (Gwasg Gwynedd)[8]
- 2016: Caryl Lewis Y Bwthyn[9]
- 2019: Manon Steffan Ros, Llyfr Glas Nebo (Y Lolfa)[12]
- 2020: Ifan Morgan Jones, Babel[20]
- 2021: Megan Angharad Hunter, tu ôl i'r awyr (Y Lolfa) [21]
- 2022: Ffion Dafis, Mori[22]
- 2023: Llŷr Titus, Pridd[16]
- 2024: Mari George, Sut i Ddofi Corryn[17]
Creative non-fiction
- 2012: Allan James John Morris-Jones[23]
- 2014: Alan Llwyd Bob: Cofiant R. Williams Parry 1884 – 1956 (Gomer)
- 2016: Gruffydd Aled Williams – Dyddiau Olaf Owain Glyndŵr (Y Lolfa)[9]
- 2026: Iola Ynyr – Camu (overall winner)[24]
Roland Mathias Poetry Award
- 2012: Karen Owen Siarad Trwy’i Het[23]
- 2014: Christine James Rhwng y Llinellau (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas)
- 2016: Mererid Hopwood Nes Draw (Gwasg Gomer)[9]