Acclaimed author Richard Flanagan has won the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2024 for his work Question 7. The announcement was made during a ceremony at BMA House in London, hosted by the Chair of Judges, Isabel Hilton. The prize, supported by The Blavatnik Family Foundation, includes a £50,000 award for the winner and £5,000 for each shortlisted author.
Flanagan, known for his Booker Prize-winning novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North, has now achieved the rare distinction of winning both the Booker and the Baillie Gifford Prize. This milestone solidifies his status as one of the leading literary voices in the English language.
Question 7 is a profound exploration of life’s choices and their ripple effects, spanning personal, historical, and cultural narratives. The book begins in a Japanese love hotel and ends by a river in Tasmania, weaving together stories of H.G. Wells’ affair with Rebecca West, the legacy of the atomic bomb, and Flanagan’s own near-death experience. The judges hailed it as a “masterpiece of narrative and thought.”
The Baillie Gifford Prize, which celebrates the best in non-fiction from authors of any nationality, reviewed 349 entries published between November 2023 and October 2024. The judging panel included experts from various fields: journalist Isabel Hilton (chair), investigative writer Heather Brooke, New Scientist culture editor Alison Flood, Prospect culture editor Peter Hoskin, critic Tomiwa Owolade, and journalist Chitra Ramaswamy.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hilton praised Flanagan’s work as “a meditation on the fragility and beauty of life, spanning vast and intimate themes with incredible finesse.”
In his acceptance speech, Flanagan expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating: “This award honours not just my work but the power of non-fiction to connect and question the human experience.”
The win is expected to further enhance the reputation of Flanagan, whose literary career has consistently pushed boundaries. The author, who hails from Tasmania, combines the deeply personal with the universally resonant in his writing.
The podcast Read Smart will feature a special episode devoted to Flanagan and his winning work, hosted by Georgina Godwin. The episode, releasing next week, promises to delve deeper into the themes and inspiration behind Question 7.
With its substantial prize fund totalling £75,000, the Baillie Gifford Prize continues to shine a spotlight on the finest in non-fiction, celebrating works that inform, challenge, and inspire readers globally. For information about the prize visit: www.thebailliegiffordprize.co.uk