The Costa Book Awards is one of the UK's most prestigious and
popular literary prizes and recognises some of the most enjoyable
books of the year by writers based in the UK and Ireland.
It's unique for having five categories: First Novel, Novel,
Biography, Poetry and Children's Book.
The winner in each category receives £5,000, and then one of the
five winning books is selected as the overall Costa Book of the
Year, receiving a further £30,000, and making a total prize fund of
£55,000. The Costa is the only prize which places children's books
alongside adult books in this way.
The Costa Book Awards started life in 1971 as the Whitbread
Literary Awards. From 1985 they were known as the Whitbread Book
Awards until 2006, when Costa Coffee took over ownership from
Whitbread.
Since 1971, the awards have rewarded a wide range of excellent
books and authors across all genres. Click here to
see them all.
24/01/12
Andrew Miller Wins 2011 Costa Book of the Year
Novelist Andrew Miller has won the 2011 Costa Book
of the Year, his first major literary award, for his sixth novel,
Pure. Set in pre-revolutionary Paris in 1785, Pure is the story of
Jean-Baptiste Baratte, an ambitious young engineer, who is assigned
the task of emptying the noxious, overflowing Parisian cemetery Les
Innocents, and of demolishing its church.
The announcement was made this evening (Tuesday 24th January) at
an awards ceremony held at Quaglino's in central London.
Click here for full details.
03/01/12
Costa Book Awards 2011 Category Winners Announced
Costa has announced the Costa Book Awards 2011 winners in the
Novel, First Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book
categories.
Announced on Radio 4, this year's winners are novelist Andrew
Miller, new writer Christie Watson, Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy,
debut biographer Matthew Hollis and first-time children's author,
Moira Young.
Click here for full details.
09/12/11
Final Judging Panel for Costa Book Awards 2011 Announced
The final judging panel for this year's
Costa Book of the Year has been announced today. It includes London
Evening Standard Editor Geordie Greig (Chairman), actor and
comedian Hugh Dennis, actress Dervla Kirwan and broadcaster Mary
Nightingale.
Click here for full details.
15/11/11
Costa Book Awards 2011 Shortlists Announced
Costa is pleased to announce the
shortlists for the 2011 Costa Book Awards.
Announced live tonight on BBC Radio 4's
Front Row programme, this year's lists include Julian Barnes, Poet
Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, Patrick McGuinness, Claire Tomalin and
Frank Cottrell Boyce.
Click here for full details.
01/06/11
Entry Forms Available for Download
Entry forms for the 2011 Costa Book Awards are now available to
download
here as a PDF. Close of entry is Friday 24th June 2011. Books
must be entered by publishers, not individuals, and self-published
books or books that are solely published online are not eligible.
Full terms and conditions are on page 6 of the form, and some
frequently asked questions are answered here. Good luck!