The Gordon Burn Prize was launched in 2013 as a vehicle by which "to reward fiction or non-fiction written in the English language, which in the opinion of the judges most successfully represents the spirit and sensibility of [Gordon Burn]'s literary methods: novels which dare to enter history and interrogate the past ... literature which challenges perceived notions of genre and makes us think again about just what it is that we are reading."[1]

The prize is jointly organised by the Gordon Burn Trust, New Writing North and Faber & Faber. The winner receives a prize sum (originally £5,000), and is offered the use of Burn's cottage in Berwickshire as a writers' retreat.[1] Up until 2024, the prize ceremony was generally the first event of the Durham Book Festival. In 2024, the prize fund was doubled to £10,000 due to new sponsors and the award ceremony relocated to Newcastle upon Tyne.[2][3]

Winners and shortlists

YearAuthorTitlePublisherRef
2013Ben MyersPig IronBluemoose Books[4][5]
Anthony CartwrightHow I Killed Margaret ThatcherTindal Street Press[6][7]
Duncan HamiltonThe Footballer Who Could FlyCentury
Richard Lloyd ParryPeople Who Eat DarknessJonathan Cape
Jean RaffertyMyra, Beyond SaddleworthWild Wolf Publishing
2014Paul KingsnorthThe WakeUnbound[8]
Richard BensonThe ValleyBloomsbury[9][10]
Richard HouseThe KillsPicador
Olivia LaingThe Trip to Echo SpringCanongate
Gruff RhysAmerican InteriorHamish Hamilton
Willy VlautinThe FreeFaber and Faber
2015Dan DaviesIn Plain Sight: The Life and Lies of Jimmy SavileQuercus[11]
Honor GavinMidlandPenned in the Margins[12][13]
Romesh GunesekeraNoon Tide TollGranta Books
Richard KingOriginal RockersFaber and Faber
Peter PomerantsevNothing Is True and Everything Is PossiblePublicAffairs
2016David SzalayAll That Man IsJonathan Cape[14][15]
Jeremy GavronA Woman on the Edge of Time: A Son's Search for his MotherScribe[16][17]
Olivia LaingThe Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being AlonePicador
Ottessa MoshfeghEileenPenguin Press
Harry ParkerAnatomy of a SoldierFaber and Faber
Adrian TempanyAnd the Sun Shines NowFaber and Faber
2017Denise MinaThe Long DropHarvill Secker[18][19]
Kapka KassabovaBorder: A Journey to the Edge of EuropeGranta Books[20][21]
David KeenanThis Is Memorial DeviceFaber and Faber
Lara PawsonThis Is the Place to BeCB Editions
Gwendoline RileyFirst LoveGranta Books
Adelle StripeBlack Teeth and a Brilliant SmileWrecking Ball Press
2018Jesse BallCensusGranta Books[22]
Nicola BarkerH(a)ppyWilliam Heinemann[23][24]
Guy GunaratneIn Our Mad and Furious CityTinder Press
Olivia LaingCrudoPicador
Deborah LevyThe Cost of LivingHamish Hamilton
Michelle McNamaraI'll Be Gone in the DarkFaber and Faber
2019David KeenanFor the Good TimesFaber and Faber[25]
Pat BarkerThe Silence of the GirlsPenguin[26][27]
Bernardine EvaristoGirl, Woman, OtherHamish Hamilton
Niven GovindenThis Brutal HouseDialogue Books
Max PorterLannyFaber and Faber
Nafissa Thompson-SpiresHeads of the Colored PeopleChatto & Windus
2020Peter PomerantsevThis Is Not PropagandaFaber and Faber[28]
Jenn AshworthNotes Made While FallingGoldsmiths Press[29][30]
Paul MendezRainbow MilkDialogue Books
Deborah OrrMotherwell: A GirlhoodWeidenfeld & Nicolson
Lemn SissayMy Name Is WhyCanongate
Lisa TaddeoThree WomenBloomsbury
2021Hanif AbdurraqibA Little Devil in AmericaAllen Lane[31]
Sam ByersCome Join Our DiseaseFaber and Faber[32]
Jenni FaganLuckenboothWilliam Heinemann
Salena GoddenMrs Death Misses DeathCanongate
Tabitha LasleySea StateHarperCollins
Doireann Ní GhríofaA Ghost in the ThroatTramp Press
2022Preti TanejaAftermathAnd Other Stories[33][34]
Graeme Macrae BurnetCase StudySaraband[35]
Margo JeffersonConstructing a Nervous SystemGranta Books
David WhitehouseAbout a SonPhoenix Press
Lea YpiFree: Coming of Age at the End of HistoryAllen Lane
2023 / 2024Kathryn ScanlanKick the LatchNew Directions[36]
Rory CarrollKilling ThatcherMudlark[37][38]
Jonathan EscofferyIf I Survive You4th Estate
Anna FunderWifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible LifeViking Press
John NivenO BrotherCanongate
Megan NolanOrdinary Human FailingsJonathan Cape
Tanya TagaqSplit ToothAnd Other Stories
2025Jenni FaganOotlinHutchinson Heinemann[39]
Rita BullwinkelHeadshotDaunt Books[40]
Emma GlassMrs JekyllCheerio
Gabrielle de la Puente and Zarina MuhammadPoor ArtistsParticular Books
Tom NewlandsOnly Here, Only NowPhoenix

References

  1. ^ "The Prize". Gordon Burn Trust. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  2. ^ "Shortlist Gordon Burn Prize 2023-24 | Gordon Burn Trust". gordonburntrust.com. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  3. ^ Fraine, Laura (2023-03-23). "New sponsor, bigger prize fund and new chair of judges for the Gordon Burn Prize". New Writing North. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  4. ^ Bury, Liz (21 October 2013). "Benjamin Myers claims inaugural Gordon Burn prize". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  5. ^ "Award honours influential writer". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  6. ^ "Content - News". www.gordonburntrust.com. 2013-08-16. Archived 2014-10-17 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  7. ^ Tallentire, Mark (2013-08-07). "Five on Gordon Burn prize shortlist". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  8. ^ "Mark Rylance-backed novel wins £5,000 literary prize". BBC News. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  9. ^ Taylor, Chris (12 August 2014). "Gordon Burn Prize 2014: Super Furry Animals frontman nominated". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  10. ^ "Super Furry Animals musician makes book prize shortlist". BBC News. 2014-08-13. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  11. ^ "Journalist wins award for Jimmy Savile book". BBC News. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
  12. ^ Tallentire, Mark (2015-10-09). "Jimmy Savile investigation wins book prize". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  13. ^ Lowes, Jude (2015-08-11). "Gordon Burn Prize shortlist announced". New Writing North. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  14. ^ Flood, Alison (7 October 2016). "David Szalay's 'unsparing' All That Man Is wins Gordon Burn prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  15. ^ Tayler, Christopher (2018-11-30). "Turbulence by David Szalay — the mile high-club". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  16. ^ Cowdrey, Katherine (2016-10-07). "David Szalay wins Gordon Burn Prize 2016". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  17. ^ Wonfor, Sam (2016-08-09). "Gordon Burns Prize 2016 shortlist announced". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  18. ^ Lawson, Mark (2017-11-30). "The best crime books and thrillers of 2017". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  19. ^ Lowes, Jude (2017-10-12). "The winner of the Gordon Burn Prize 2017 is announced". New Writing North. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  20. ^ Lewis, Chrissie (2017-07-22). "Gordon Burn Prize Shortlist!". Wrecking Ball Press. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  21. ^ Fraine, Laura (2017-07-21). "Gordon Burn Prize 2017 – shortlist announced". New Writing North. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  22. ^ Flood, Alison (11 October 2018). "Jesse Ball's 'strange and beautiful' Census wins Gordon Burn prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  23. ^ Onwuemezi, Natasha (2018-07-20). "McNamara makes 2018 Gordon Burn shortlist". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  24. ^ Lowes, Jude (2018-07-20). "Shortlist announced for Gordon Burn Prize 2018". New Writing North. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  25. ^ Flood, Alison (11 October 2019). "David Keenan's Troubles novel For the Good Times wins Gordon Burn prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  26. ^ Fraine, Laura (2019-07-17). "Shortlist announced for Gordon Burn Prize 2019". New Writing North. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  27. ^ Wood, Heloise (2019-07-17). "Porter and Barker shortlisted for 2019 Gordon Burn Prize". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  28. ^ Lea, Richard (2020-10-15). "Peter Pomerantsev's study of 'the war against reality' wins Gordon Burn prize". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  29. ^ Fraine, Laura (2020-07-23). "Shortlist announced for Gordon Burn Prize 2020". New Writing North. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  30. ^ Comerford, Ruth (2020-07-23). "Sissay, Taddeo and Mendez shortlisted for Gordon Burn Prize". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  31. ^ Flood, Alison (14 October 2021). "Hanif Abdurraqib wins the Gordon Burn prize for A Little Devil in America". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  32. ^ Knight, Lucy (2021-08-13). "Sam Byers and Salena Godden shortlisted for the Gordon Burn prize". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  33. ^ Knight, Lucy (13 October 2022). "2022 Gordon Burn prize awarded to London Bridge terror attack examination, Aftermath". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  34. ^ Khanna, Aditi (2022-10-20). "British Indian author Preti Taneja bags Gordon Burn Prize for 'Aftermath' on 2019 London Bridge terror attack". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  35. ^ Shaffi, Sarah (2022-08-03). "Gordon Burn prize shortlist announced: jazz icons, true crime and a rogue psychotherapist". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  36. ^ Creamer, Ella (2024-03-07). "Kathryn Scanlan wins Gordon Burn prize for novel Kick the Latch". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  37. ^ Creamer, Ella (2024-01-25). "Gordon Burn prize announces 'blazing' shortlist". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  38. ^ Doyle, Martin (2024-01-25). "Magee and Morris on Dylan Thomas Prize longlist; Nolan and Carroll on Gordon Burn Prize shortlist; Bernie McGill wins Edge Hill story prize". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  39. ^ "Fagan wins 2025 Gordon Burn Prize". Books+Publishing. 2025-03-13. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
  40. ^ "Osborne-Crowley shortlisted for 2025 Gordon Burn Prize". Books+Publishing. 2025-01-28. Retrieved 2025-03-16.