The shortlists for the British Book Awards 2024 were announced on Friday, March 8, 2024. Here are the writers of African descent in the running.
The British Book Awards or Nibbies have undergone two name changes and ownerships since it was founded by Fred Newman in 1990. It has been owned by Agile Marketing, who renamed it the National Book Awards, and The Bookseller who reverted it to the original British Book Awards or The Nibbies in 2017. In 2020, Bernardine Evaristo, Candice Carty-Williams, and Oyinkan Braithwaite were among the winners while David Olusoga was the sole winner in 2021. Caleb Azumah Nelson, Marcus Rashford with Carl Anka, Jade LB, Dapo Adeola and 18 illustrators won in their categories in 2022.
There are 13 Book of the Year Awards: Children’s Illustrated, Children’s Non-Fiction, Children’s Fiction, Fiction, Début Fiction, Crime & Thriller, Pageturner, Non-Fiction: Lifestyle and Illustrated, Non-Fiction: Narrative, Audiobook Fiction, Audiobook Non-Fiction, Discover, as well as the Overall Book of the Year.
The shortlists were announced with Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and chair of The British Book Awards judges saying: “Last year saw the book business roll up its sleeves, stare down the cost-of-living crisis and post-Covid troubles, and unleash a series of memorable and remarkable new titles. Book-ended by two record-breakers – Prince Harry’s Spare and the fifth book in Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper series – this year’s titles did what the industry does best: start conversations, connect communities, and push boundaries. Our collective ability to support the creative endeavours of writers and illustrators, and to judge and deliver what readers want, continues to be a wonder to behold. It is an honour to celebrate these success stories.”
Alice O’Keeffe, books editor of The Bookseller and overall chair of the Books of the Year, says: “It’s an exciting year for Non-Fiction and our shortlists run the gamut from an instant cookery brand to an addictive murder mystery puzzle, from powerful words about politics to life advice from a Dragon. Not to mention the fastest-selling Non-Fiction hardback since records began. Our judges will be spirited away by the fiction shortlists this year, which encompass romance and heartbreak, gods and dragons, the ecstasies of love and the vagaries of social media, and more than one book about the healing power of reading.”
The shortlisted writers of African descent are;
Book of the Year – Audiobook Fiction
- The List, Yomi Adegoke, narrated by Sheila Atim and Arinzé Kene (4th Estate, HarperCollins)
Book of the Year – Audiobook Non-Fiction
- The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life, Steven Bartlett, narrated by Steven Bartlett (Ebury Edge, Penguin Random House Audio)
Book of the Year – Children’s Non-Fiction
- Black & Irish: Legends, Trailblazers & Everyday Heroes, Leon Diop, Briana Fitzsimons, illustrated by Jessica Louis (Little Island Books)
- Brilliant Black British History by Atinuke, illustrated by Kingsley Nebechi (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Book of the Year – Début Fiction
- The List, Yomi Adegoke (4th Estate, HarperCollins)
Book of the Year – Non-Fiction: Lifestyle & Illustrated
- Let The Light Pour In, Lemn Sissay (Canongate)
Book of the Year – Non-Fiction: Narrative
- Diary of a CEO, Steven Bartlett (Ebury Edge, Ebury)
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in London, UK on Monday, May 13, 2024.
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