Royal Society Prizes for Science Books


The Royal Society Science Books Prize is an annual £25,000 prize awarded by the Royal Society to celebrate outstanding popular science books from around the world. It is open to authors of science books written for a non-specialist audience, and since it was established in 1988 has championed writers such as Stephen Hawking, Jared Diamond, Stephen Jay Gould and Bill Bryson. In 2015 The Guardian described the prize as "the most prestigious science book prize in Britain".

History

The Royal Society established the Science Books Prize in 1988 with the aim of encouraging the writing, publishing and reading of good and accessible popular science books. Its name has varied according to sponsorship agreements.
YearsNameSponsor
1990–2000Rhône-Poulenc Prize for Science BooksRhône-Poulenc
2001–2006Aventis Prize for Science BooksAventis
2007–2010Royal Society Prize for Science Booksnone
2011–2015Royal Society Winton Prize for Science BooksWinton Group
2016–2018Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book PrizeInsight Investment

Judging process

A panel of judges decides the shortlist and the winner of the Prize each year. The panel is chaired by a fellow of the Royal Society and includes authors, scientists and media personalities. The judges for the 2016 prize included author Bill Bryson, theoretical physicist Dr Clare Burrage, science fiction author Alastair Reynolds, ornithologist and science blogger GrrlScientist, and author and director of external affairs at the Science Museum Group, Roger Highfield. In 2019, the jury consisted of Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Shukry James Habib, Dorothy Koomson, Stephen McGann, and Gwyneth Williams.
All books entered for the prize must be published in English for the first time between September and October the preceding year. The winner is announced at an award ceremony in September and receives £25,000. Each of the other shortlisted authors receives £2,500.

Shortlisted books

Each year's shortlist appears below. A blue ribbon appears against the winner.

2019

The shortlist was announced on 27 August 2019, and the winner was announced on 23 September 2019.
The shortlist was announced on 2 August 2018, and the winner was announced on 1 October 2018.
The shortlist was announced on 3 August 2017, and the winner was announced on 19 September 2017.
The shortlist was announced on 4 August 2016, and the winner on 19 September 2016.
The shortlist was announced on 5 August 2015, and the winner on 24 September 2015.
This was the first year that the prizes were given by the Royal Society.

2006

It was Jared Diamond's third nomination for the prize, having won twice previously.
The 2006 prize was the last one to be sponsored by the Aventis Foundation.

2005