Baillie Gifford Prize

Tune into our final 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Việt Thanh Nguyễn, who has been shortlisted for his book, A Man of Two Faces, which masterfully intertwines personal and historical narratives with humour and lyricism. Nguyễn's work reflects on memory, the duality of identity, and the American experience.

Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news all year round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.

Join us for the next episode of The Read Smart podcast, as we welcome David Van Reybrouck, acclaimed author of Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World. Revolusi, a bestseller in the Netherlands and now shortlisted for The Baillie Gifford Prize, offers a gripping narrative of Indonesia's fight for independence and its impact on global decolonisation. Discover the untold stories of a revolution that reshaped the 20th century.

Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

Tune into our next 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Richard Flanagan, who has been shortlisted for his brilliant book, Question 7. From the affair between H.G. Wells and Rebecca West to developments in 1930s nuclear physics, Flanagan has crafted a poignant love song to his island home, his parents, and the haunting echoes of the past in this book. Through a hypnotic blend of dream, history, science, and memory, he reveals how our lives are often shaped by the stories of others and the narratives we create about ourselves.

Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news all year round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.

Tune into our next 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Annie Jacobsen, who has been shortlisted for the prize this year with Nuclear War: A Scenario. Jacobsen’s book explores the chilling minute-by-minute protocols that would unfold if a rogue state launched a nuclear missile at the United States and is a gripping exploration of nuclear conflict, sparking crucial discussions on global security. Drawing from dozens of new interviews with military and civilian experts who have designed the weapons, been involved in response planning, and shouldered the responsibility for critical decisions, this is the definitive account of what a nuclear exchange would entail.

Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year-round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

Tune into our next 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Dr Rachel Clarke about her shortlisted book, The Story of a Heart, which intertwines the poignant tales of two children connected by a heart transplant. Hear Dr Clarke discuss the dedication of healthcare professionals and incredible medical advancements that make miracles like these possible, and why she believes conversations around organ donation are so important.

Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

Tune in to the first of our 'In Conversation' podcast episodes, where we speak to all six of this year's shortlisted authors about their extraordinary works of non-fiction. First up, Georgina Godwin speaks to Sue Prideaux, author of 'Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin'. Prideaux's award-winning works have captivated readers worldwide. From her James Tait Black Memorial Prize-winning biography of Edvard Munch to her Duff Cooper Prize-winning book on Strindberg, and her celebrated Nietzsche biography, 'I Am Dynamite!', which received the Hawthornden Prize and The Times Biography of the Year in 2018.

In her latest work, 'Wild Thing', Prideaux brings to life the vibrant and tumultuous journey of Paul Gauguin. From his privileged start in Peru to his rebellious adventures in France, she offers a nuanced view of Gauguin, celebrating his creative genius while not shying away from his flaws.

Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation.

To keep up with all of our Prize news all year round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.

Tune into the latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast, where host Georgina Godwin is joined by Heather Brooke, a member of this year's judging panel, to discuss the 2024 shortlist. Why did these six books stand out from the rest of the longlist? Listen now to hear all about it.

The 2024 shortlist:

- The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke

- Question 7 by Richard Flanagan

- Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen

- A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial by Viet Thanh Nguyen

- Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin by Sue Prideaux

- Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World by David Van Reybrouck (translated by David Colmer and David McKay

The podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Be sure to follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

If you’re interested in learning more about the books on the shortlist, then join us on the podcast in the run up to the winner announcement. We will be speaking to each of the shortlisted authors about their work and what inspired them to write on their chosen topics. Also be sure to join us on our social media channels where you we’ll be sharing other author interviews, including readings by the writers themselves.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday 19 November at an award ceremony generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. The announcement will also be livestreamed across the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction social channels.

Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, where two of our judges – Peter Hoskin and Chitra Ramaswamy – explore the 2024 longlist with our host, Georgina Godwin. Spanning the subjects of displacement, colonialism and nuclear war, this year's longlist unapologetically holds up a mirror to our contemporary world.

Listen now to hear all about it. The podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. For more podcasts from The Baillie Gifford Prize, click here. Follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.

The announcement of the six books shortlisted for this year’s prize will take place on Thursday 10 October in a live event at Cheltenham Literature Festival.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday 19 November at an award ceremony generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation.

Tune in to the next episode of The Read Smart Podcast, where Georgina Godwin speaks to Christina Lamb and Catrina Davies about the complex and delicate matter of exploring mental health and private contemplation on the public literary stage.

Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation.

To keep up with the Prize news all year round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.

Tune in to the next episode of the Read Smart Podcast, where 2022 Baillie Gifford Prize judge, Georgina Godwin, speaks to 2023 winner John Vaillant, social geographer Danny Dorling and writer and award-winning journalist Jennifer Nadel about the crucial topics which are often overlooked by mainstream media. Which topic do you think is neglected most - and why?

Listen now to hear all about it.

This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation.

To keep up with all of our Prize news all year round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.