Latest news with #Women'sPrizeforNon-Fiction
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A life-affirming memoir and a beautiful story of female desire are the must-read winners of this year's Women's Prize
Tears flowed among the members of the audience listening to Rachel Clarke's acceptance speech as she won the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction at the awards ceremony in London's Bloomsbury. The NHS doctor, author The Story Of A Heart, spoke movingly about the two children who inspired her memoir: nine-year-old Keira Ball, who suffered catastrophic brain injuries and died after a car accident and Max Johnson, who received her heart through a donor transplant. Kavita Puri, chair of judges for the non-fiction prize, said it had 'left a deep and long-lasting impression' on the panel. 'Clarke's writing is authoritative, beautiful and compassionate. The research is meticulous, and the storytelling is expertly crafted,' she said. 'She holds this precious story with great care and tells it with dignity, interweaving the history of transplant surgery seamlessly.' Shortlisted alongside for The Story Of A Heart in the non-fiction category were A Thousand Threads by Neneh Cherry, Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton, Agent Zo: The Untold Story Of Courageous WW2 Resistance Fighter Elżbieta Zawacka by Clare Mulley, What The Wild Sea Can Be: The Future Of The World's Ocean by Helen Scales and Private Revolutions: Coming Of Age In A New China by Yuan Yang. The winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction was Dutch writer Yael van der Wouden, who won with her debut, The Safekeep. Set in 1960s Netherlands, it's the story of two women thrown together in a remote house in the aftermath of World War II and their developing relationship. Kit de Waal, Chair of Judges for the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction, said: 'The Safekeep is that rare thing: a masterful blend of history, suspense and historical authenticity. Every word is perfectly placed, page after page revealing an aspect of war and the Holocaust that has been, until now, mostly unexplored in fiction. It is also a love story with beautifully rendered intimate scenes written with delicacy and compelling eroticism. This astonishing debut is a classic in the making, a story to be loved and appreciated for generations to come. Books like this don't come along every day.' Van der Wouden's debut beat novels by the more established writers Miranda July (All Fours) and Elizabeth Strout (Tell Me Everything). The three other shortlisted books were also first novels: Good Girl by Aria Aber, The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji and Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis. Both winning authors will receive a £30,000 prize each in recognition of their achievements. You Might Also Like The anti-ageing wonder ingredient you're missing in your skincare routine 15 dresses perfect for a summer wedding 6 items our fashion team always take on a beach holiday
Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Queen Camilla praises literary prize championing women authors
Queen Camilla made a surprise appearance at an open-air event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Women's Prize for Fiction in London where she hailed the competition for helping female writers The Queen has praised a leading fiction competition for elevating women's narratives from the "margins" to the "very centre" of the literary world. The royal graced an alfresco celebration marking the Women's Prize for Fiction's 30th anniversary with her unexpected presence, where she engaged with this year's shortlisted writers. British novelist and non-fiction writer Kate Mosse, who helped establish the award, lauded Camilla as a "genuine reader" and a staunch supporter of the initiative, remarking on the Royal visit: "If you're going to lay on the Queen, if it's not Beyoncé, it's got to be the actual Queen." The Queen addressed the crowd gathered in Bedford Square gardens, reflecting on 1995 — the year the prize was founded — as a pivotal moment for women. She highlighted that while 1995 saw women achieving milestones like winning a Nobel Prize and piloting a space shuttle for the first time, the literary world presented a "bleaker" picture, with only 9% of female authors making it onto major prize shortlists despite penning 60% of novels. Camilla underscored that Mosse and her colleagues initiated the Women's Prize for Fiction because "they believed that women's stories should be truly heard, understood and honoured; and that it was time to disprove Virginia Woolf's famous statement that ' often a woman'". Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you! She expressed: "They did this by establishing the Women's Prize for Fiction and its instantly recognisable statuette, 'The Bessie'. This simple, but radical, step brought the female voice from the margins of the literary world to its very centre." Camilla engaged in conversation with the six authors shortlisted for the prize – Aria Aber, Sanam Mahloudji, Elizabeth Strout, Nussaibah Younis, Miranda July and Yael van der Wouden. Younis managed to inject some humour into the proceedings and got some laughs when she quipped: "We're trying to take each other out, the champagne glasses are spiked, there could be one left standing." Following her chat with Camilla, Younis commented on her competition, saying: "I have read all of the books and I'm blown away. They're funny and so sexy and very erotic." The Queen Consort then met the authors selected for the shortlist of the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction, including the illustrious singer-songwriter and rapper Neneh Cherry, who penned A Thousand Threads, recounting her extraordinary career journey. "I wrote a memoir, a book about my life," Cherry told Camilla enthusiastically. She revealed that it took her over four years to pen the memoir, admitting: "It took more than four years to write it and I'm still slightly recovering. It's out there now, I have let it go, it's out in the world." During the exchange, the Queen evidently showed interest, telling author Claire Mulley: "I think I will put that on my holiday reading list." Furthermore, she conveyed to Chloe Dalton that she had delved into her book Raising Hare, which narrates Dalton's transition from the frantic urban landscape to a pastoral existence. "Thank you so much, I am honoured," she responded.
Wales Online
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Bernardine Evaristo receives Women's Prize outstanding contribution award
Bernardine Evaristo receives Women's Prize outstanding contribution award The one-off literary honour celebrates Evaristo's body of work and dedication to advancing the voices of people from underrepresented backgrounds (Image: Getty Images ) Award-winning novelist Bernardine Evaristo has been announced as the recipient of an outstanding contribution award from the Women's Prize Trust. The one-off literary honour celebrates Evaristo's body of work and dedication to advancing the voices of people from underrepresented backgrounds. The trust is known for the Women's Prize for Fiction, a popular literary award that was established in 1996. Evaristo, 66, who was joint winner of the Booker Prize in 2019 for her novel Girl, Woman, Other, will be presented with the award and £100,000 prize money on June 12 at the Women's Prize Trust's summer party in London. She said: "I am completely overwhelmed and overjoyed to receive this unique award. "I feel such deep gratitude towards the Women's Prize for honouring me in this way. Article continues below "Over the last three decades I have witnessed with great admiration and respect how the Women's Prize for Fiction has so bravely and brilliantly championed and developed women's writing, always from an inclusive stance. "The financial reward comes as an unexpected blessing in my life and, given the mission of the Women's Prize Trust, it seems fitting that I spend this substantial sum supporting other women writers; more details on this will be forthcoming." Evaristo will be honoured alongside the winners of the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction and the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction, which was won by V V Ganeshananthan and Naomi Klein respectively, last year. Authors who have been longlisted or won the Women's Prize for Fiction over the past three decades, and had published a minimum of five books, were eligible for the outstanding contribution award. The winner of the outstanding contribution award was selected by a judging panel chaired by novelist and non-fiction author Kate Mosse, founder director of the Women's Prize for Fiction and Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. She said: "My fellow judges and I always knew it would be a tall order to choose just one author from the many exceptional contemporary writers who have made such a huge contribution in a world where women's voices are increasingly being silenced, where the arts and artists are under attack. "Books encourage empathy, they offer alternative and diverse points of view; they help us to stand in other people's shoes and to see our own worlds in the mirror. "In the end, we felt that Bernardine Evaristo's beautiful, ambitious and inventive body of work (which includes plays, poetry, essays, monologues and memoir as well as award-winning fiction), her dazzling skill and imagination, and her courage to take risks and offer readers a pathway into diverse and multifarious worlds over a forty-year career, made her the ideal recipient of the Women's Prize Outstanding Contribution Award." The Women's Prize Trust says the one-off award marks the 30th anniversary year of the Women's Prize for Fiction. Evaristo, who was born in Woolwich, south London, and is of Anglo-Nigerian descent, has shed light on the lives of modern British women through her work, taking an interest in the African diaspora. She has launched several successful writing schemes to support women writers and under-represented writers of colour, including the Complete Works mentoring scheme for poets. Several of her works, including The Emperor's Babe and Hello Mum, have been adapted into BBC Radio 4 plays. Article continues below Evaristo's other novels include Blonde Roots, Soul Tourists and Mr Loverman. The latter was turned into an eight-part BBC drama starring Lennie James and Ariyon Bakare. The actors, who star as lovers struggling to go public with their relationship, picked up Baftas for their roles during the academy's TV awards in May.
Leader Live
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Bernardine Evaristo receives Women's Prize outstanding contribution award
The one-off literary honour celebrates Evaristo's body of work and dedication to advancing the voices of people from underrepresented backgrounds. The trust is known for the Women's Prize for Fiction, a popular literary award that was established in 1996. Evaristo, 66, who was joint winner of the Booker Prize in 2019 for her novel Girl, Woman, Other, will be presented with the award and £100,000 prize money on June 12 at the Women's Prize Trust's summer party in London. She said: 'I am completely overwhelmed and overjoyed to receive this unique award. 'I feel such deep gratitude towards the Women's Prize for honouring me in this way. 'Over the last three decades I have witnessed with great admiration and respect how the Women's Prize for Fiction has so bravely and brilliantly championed and developed women's writing, always from an inclusive stance. 'The financial reward comes as an unexpected blessing in my life and, given the mission of the Women's Prize Trust, it seems fitting that I spend this substantial sum supporting other women writers; more details on this will be forthcoming.' Evaristo will be honoured alongside the winners of the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction and the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction, which was won by V V Ganeshananthan and Naomi Klein respectively, last year. Authors who have been longlisted or won the Women's Prize for Fiction over the past three decades, and had published a minimum of five books, were eligible for the outstanding contribution award. The winner of the outstanding contribution award was selected by a judging panel chaired by novelist and non-fiction author Kate Mosse, founder director of the Women's Prize for Fiction and Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. She said: 'My fellow judges and I always knew it would be a tall order to choose just one author from the many exceptional contemporary writers who have made such a huge contribution in a world where women's voices are increasingly being silenced, where the arts and artists are under attack. 'Books encourage empathy, they offer alternative and diverse points of view; they help us to stand in other people's shoes and to see our own worlds in the mirror. 'In the end, we felt that Bernardine Evaristo's beautiful, ambitious and inventive body of work (which includes plays, poetry, essays, monologues and memoir as well as award-winning fiction), her dazzling skill and imagination, and her courage to take risks and offer readers a pathway into diverse and multifarious worlds over a forty-year career, made her the ideal recipient of the Women's Prize Outstanding Contribution Award.' The Women's Prize Trust says the one-off award marks the 30th anniversary year of the Women's Prize for Fiction. Evaristo, who was born in Woolwich, south London, and is of Anglo-Nigerian descent, has shed light on the lives of modern British women through her work, taking an interest in the African diaspora. She has launched several successful writing schemes to support women writers and under-represented writers of colour, including the Complete Works mentoring scheme for poets. Several of her works, including The Emperor's Babe and Hello Mum, have been adapted into BBC Radio 4 plays. Evaristo's other novels include Blonde Roots, Soul Tourists and Mr Loverman. The latter was turned into an eight-part BBC drama starring Lennie James and Ariyon Bakare. The actors, who star as lovers struggling to go public with their relationship, picked up Baftas for their roles during the academy's TV awards in May.
South Wales Guardian
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Bernardine Evaristo receives Women's Prize outstanding contribution award
The one-off literary honour celebrates Evaristo's body of work and dedication to advancing the voices of people from underrepresented backgrounds. The trust is known for the Women's Prize for Fiction, a popular literary award that was established in 1996. Evaristo, 66, who was joint winner of the Booker Prize in 2019 for her novel Girl, Woman, Other, will be presented with the award and £100,000 prize money on June 12 at the Women's Prize Trust's summer party in London. She said: 'I am completely overwhelmed and overjoyed to receive this unique award. 'I feel such deep gratitude towards the Women's Prize for honouring me in this way. 'Over the last three decades I have witnessed with great admiration and respect how the Women's Prize for Fiction has so bravely and brilliantly championed and developed women's writing, always from an inclusive stance. 'The financial reward comes as an unexpected blessing in my life and, given the mission of the Women's Prize Trust, it seems fitting that I spend this substantial sum supporting other women writers; more details on this will be forthcoming.' Evaristo will be honoured alongside the winners of the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction and the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction, which was won by V V Ganeshananthan and Naomi Klein respectively, last year. Authors who have been longlisted or won the Women's Prize for Fiction over the past three decades, and had published a minimum of five books, were eligible for the outstanding contribution award. The winner of the outstanding contribution award was selected by a judging panel chaired by novelist and non-fiction author Kate Mosse, founder director of the Women's Prize for Fiction and Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. She said: 'My fellow judges and I always knew it would be a tall order to choose just one author from the many exceptional contemporary writers who have made such a huge contribution in a world where women's voices are increasingly being silenced, where the arts and artists are under attack. 'Books encourage empathy, they offer alternative and diverse points of view; they help us to stand in other people's shoes and to see our own worlds in the mirror. 'In the end, we felt that Bernardine Evaristo's beautiful, ambitious and inventive body of work (which includes plays, poetry, essays, monologues and memoir as well as award-winning fiction), her dazzling skill and imagination, and her courage to take risks and offer readers a pathway into diverse and multifarious worlds over a forty-year career, made her the ideal recipient of the Women's Prize Outstanding Contribution Award.' The Women's Prize Trust says the one-off award marks the 30th anniversary year of the Women's Prize for Fiction. Evaristo, who was born in Woolwich, south London, and is of Anglo-Nigerian descent, has shed light on the lives of modern British women through her work, taking an interest in the African diaspora. She has launched several successful writing schemes to support women writers and under-represented writers of colour, including the Complete Works mentoring scheme for poets. Several of her works, including The Emperor's Babe and Hello Mum, have been adapted into BBC Radio 4 plays. Evaristo's other novels include Blonde Roots, Soul Tourists and Mr Loverman. The latter was turned into an eight-part BBC drama starring Lennie James and Ariyon Bakare. The actors, who star as lovers struggling to go public with their relationship, picked up Baftas for their roles during the academy's TV awards in May.
