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. The award was then acquired by Agile Marketing which renamed it the National Book Awards with headline sponsors Galaxy National Book Awards and Specsavers National Book Awards . There were no National Book Awards after 2014. In 2017 the award was acquired by The Bookseller and renamed to the original British Book Awards or Nibbies.In 2005, The Bookseller launched a separate scheme, The Bookseller Retail Awards. In 2010, running parallel to the National Book Awards, The Bookseller combined The Nibbies with its retail awards to produce The Bookseller Industry Awards. In 2017 The British Book Industry Awards were renamed as The British Book Awards after it acquired the National Book Awards from Agile Marketing.
It is known as the Nibbies because of the golden nib-shaped trophy given to winners.
Award winners
Author of the Year
- 2020 – Bernardine Evaristo
- 2019 – Lee Child
- 2018 – Philip Pullman
Book of the Year
- 2020 – Queenie – Candice Carty-Williams
- 2019 – Normal People – Sally Rooney
- 2018 – Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman
- 2017 – The Essex Serpent – Sarah Perry
- 2015-2016 –
- 2014 – The Miniaturist – Jessie Burton
- 2013 – The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Neil Gaiman
- 2012 – Fifty Shades of Grey – EL James
- 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
- 2007 – The Dangerous Book for Boys – Con and Hal Iggulden
- 2006 – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – JK Rowling
- 2005 – The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown
- 2004 – Eats, Shoots & Leaves – Lynne Truss
- 2003 – Stupid White Men – Michael Moore
- 2002 – Billy – Pamela Stephenson
- 2001 – Man and Boy – Tony Parsons
- 2000 – Managing My Life – Alex Ferguson
- 1999 – Birthday Letters – Ted Hughes
- 1998 – Bridget Jones's Diary – Helen Fielding
- 1997 – Longitude – Dava Sobel
- 1996 – Delia Smith's Winter Collection
- 1995 – Writing Home – Alan Bennett
- 1994 – Wild Swans – Jung Chang
Children's Book of the Year
- 2020 – A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
- 2019 –
- 2018 – The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris — The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas
- 2017 – The Girl of Ink & Stars - Kiran Millwood
- 2015-2016
- 2014 – Awful Auntie – David Walliams
- 2013 – Demon Dentist – David Walliams
- 2012 – Ratburger – David Walliams
- 2011 – A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness
- 2010 – Zog – Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
- 2009 – Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer
- 2008 – Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman – Francesca Simon
- 2007 – Flanimals of the Deep – Ricky Gervais
- 2006 – Ark Angel – Anthony Horowitz
- 2005 – The Gruffalo's Child – Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
- 2004 – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon
- 2003 – Girls in Tears – Jacqueline Wilson
- 2002 – Artemis Fowl – Eoin Colfer
- 2001 – The Amber Spyglass – Philip Pullman
- 2000 – The Illustrated Mum – Jacqueline Wilson
- 1999 – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J. K. Rowling
- 1998 – Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – J. K. Rowling
- 1997 – Northern Lights – Philip Pullman
- 1996 – The Hutchinson Treasury of Children's Literature – ed. Alison Sage
Début Book of the Year
- 2018 – Gail Honeyman – Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
- 2017 – Garth Greenwell – What Belongs to You
- 2015-2016 –
- 2014 – Jessie Burton – The Miniaturist
- 2013 – Liza Klaussman – Tigers in Red Weather
- 2012 – Rachel Joyce – The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
- 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
- 2020 – Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo
- 2019 – Normal People – Sally Rooney
- 2018 – Reservoir 13 – Jon McGregor
- 2017 – The Essex Serpent – Sarah Perry
- 2015-2016 –
- 2014 – The Shock of the Fall – Nathan Filer
- 2013 – An Officer and a Spy – Robert Harris
- 2012 – Fifty Shades of Grey – E. L. James
- 2011 – A Tiny Bit Marvellous – Dawn French
- 2010 – One Day – David Nicholls
- 2009 – Devil May Care – Sebastian Faulks
- 2008 – The Memory Keeper's Daughter – Kim Edwards
- 2006 – Anybody Out There – Marian Keyes
- 2006 – The Time Traveler's Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
Crime & Thriller Book of the Year
- 2020 – My Sister, the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite
- 2019 – Our House – Louise Candlish
- 2018 – The Dry – Jane Harper
- 2017 – Dodgers – Bill Beverly
- 2015–2016 – '
- 2014 – I Am Pilgrim – Terry Hayes
- 2013 – The Carrier – Sophie Hannah
- 2012 – A Wanted Man – Lee Child
- 2011 – Before I Go to Sleep – S. J. Watson
- 2010 – '
- 2009 – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson
- 2008 – Book of the Dead – Patricia Cornwell
- 2007 – The Naming of the Dead – Ian Rankin
- 2006 – The Take – Martina Cole
- 2005 – Fleshmarket Close – Ian Rankin
Non-Fiction: Lifestyle Book of the Year
- 2020 – Pinch of Nom by Kay Featherstone and Kate Allinson
- 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
- 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
- 2017 – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- 1992–2016 –
- 1991 – Delia Smith's Christmas
Retired awards
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
- 2013 – David Jason: My Life – David Jason
- 2012 – My Animals and Other Family – Clare Balding
- 2011 – Charles Dickens – Claire Tomalin
- 2010 – The Fry Chronicles – Stephen Fry
- 2009 – Dreams From My Father – Barack Obama
- 2008 – My Booky Wook – Russell Brand
- 2007 – The Sound of Laughter – Peter Kay
- 2006 – Sharon Osbourne Extreme – Sharon Osbourne
- 2005 – My Life – Bill Clinton
- 2004 – Toast – Nigel Slater
- 2003 – – Roy Jenkins
Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year
- 2014 – Love, Nina – Nina Stibbe
- 2013 – I Am Malala – Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
- 2012 – Is It Just Me – Miranda Hart
- 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
- 2013 – The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Neil Gaiman, read by the author
- 2012 – The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year – Sue Townsend, read by Caroline Quentin
- 2011 – My Dear I Wanted to Tell You – Louisa Young, read by Dan Stevens
- 2005–2010 –
- 2004 – Forgotten Voices of the Great War – Max Arthur
- 2003 – Series of Unfortunate Events – written by Lemony Snicket, read by Tim Curry
- 2002 – The Laying on of Hands – written and read by Alan Bennett
Food & Drink Book of the Year
- 2014 – Plenty More – Yotam Ottolenghi
- 2013 – Eat – Nigel Slater
- 2012 – The Hairy Dieters – Si King and Dave Myers
- 2011 – The Good Cook – Simon Hopkinson
- 2010 – Plenty – Yotam Ottolenghi
Paperback of the Year
- 2011 – Room – Emma Donoghue
Outstanding Achievement
- 2014 – Mary Berry
- 2013 – '
- 2012 – Ian Rankin
- 2011 – Jackie Collins
- 2010 – Martin Amis and Terry Pratchett
- 2009 – '
- 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
- 2014 – David Nicholls – Us
- 2013 – Kate Atkinson – Life After Life
- 2012 – Hilary Mantel – Bring Up the Bodies
- 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
- 1999 – Beryl Bainbridge
- 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
International Author of the Year
- 2014 – We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves – Karen Joy Fowler
- 2013 – Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
- 2012 – The Snow Child – Eowyn Ivey
- 2011 – A Visit From the Goon Squad – Jennifer Egan
- 2010 – Freedom – Jonathan Franzen
Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year
- 2009 – When Will There Be Good News? – Kate Atkinson
- 2008 – A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
- 2007 – The Interpretation of Murder – Jed Rubenfeld
- 2006 – Labyrinth – Kate Mosse
- 2005 – Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
- 2004 – The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
The Children's Author of the Year
- 1995 – Allan Ahlberg and Janet Ahlberg
- 1994 – Anne Fine
- 1993 – Raymond Briggs
- 1992 – Dick King-Smith
- 1991 – Anne Fine
- 1990 – Roald Dahl
Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
- 1995 – The Most Amazing Pop-Up Science Book – Jay Young
- 1994 – Mummy Laid an Egg – Babette Cole
- 1993 – Penguin Small – Mick Inkpen
- 1992 – Farmer Duck – Helen Oxenbury
- 1991 – The Mousehole Cat – Nicola Bayley
Illustrated Book of the Year
- 2004 – England's Thousand Best Houses – Simon Jenkins
- 2003 – Sahara – Michael Palin
- 2002 – The Blue Planet – Andrew Byatt, Alastair Fothergill, Martha Holmes
- 2001 – The Beatles Anthology
- 2000 – Century – Bruce Bernard
- 1999 – Ethel and Ernest – Raymond Briggs
- 1998 – The Lost Gardens of Heligan – Tim Smit
- 1997 – Flora Britannica – Richard Mabey
- 1996 – The River Cafe Cookbook – Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers
- 1995 – The Art Book
The TV and Film Book of the Year
- 2007 – The Devil Wears Prada – Lauren Weisberger
- 2006 – The Constant Gardener – John le Carré
- 2005 – Himalaya – Michael Palin
- 2004 – How Clean Is Your House? – Kim Woodburn and Aggie MacKenzie
- 2003 – What Not to Wear – Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine
The Literary Fiction Award
- 2005 – Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
- 2004 – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon
The History Book of the Year
- 2005 – ' – William Hague
- 2004 – ' – Simon Sebag Montefiore
The Sports Book of the Year
- 2007 – ' – Steven Gerrard
- 2006 – Being Freddie – Andrew Flintoff
- 2005 – ' – Paul Gascoigne
- 2004 – – Martin Johnson
The deciBel Writer of the Year
- 2007 – Jackie Kay
- 2006 – Diana Evans
- 2005 – Hari Kunzru
The Fastest Selling Biography of All Time
- 2004 – – David Beckham
The Travel Writer of the Year
- 1993 – Michael Palin – Pole to Pole
- 1992 – Mark Shand – Travels on my Elephant
- 1991 – V. S. Naipaul – India
- 1990 – Peter Mayle – A Year in Provence
The Fantasy and Science Fiction Author of the Year
- 1994 – Terry Pratchett