Walter Scott Prize
The Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction is a British literary award founded in 2010. At £25,000 it is one of the largest literary awards in the UK.[1] The award was created by the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, whose ancestors were closely linked to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott, who is generally considered the originator of historical fiction with the novel Waverley in 1814.[2]
Eligible books must have been first published in the UK or Ireland in the preceding year. For the purpose of the award, historical fiction is defined as being that where the main events take place more than 60 years ago, i.e.outside of any mature personal experience of the author.[3]
Winners and shortlist
Blue Ribbon (
) = winner
2010
The winner was announced 19 June 2010 as part of the Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival which took place at Sir Walter Scott's historic home Abbotsford House in Scotland.[4][5]
Hilary Mantel for Wolf Hall about Thomas Cromwell (1485–1540).- Adam Thorpe for Hodd about Robin Hood (early medieval).
- Robert Harris for Lustrum about Cicero (106-43 BC)
- Sarah Dunant for Sacred Hearts about a 16th century Italian convent.
- Iain Pears for Stone's Fall about a early 20th C mystery/thriller.
- Simon Mawer for The Glass Room about 1930's Czech.
- Adam Foulds for The Quickening Maze about John Clare and Alfred Tennyson (early 19th century).
2011
The shortlist was announced on 1 April and the winner was announced on 19 June:[6][7]
- Andrea Levy for The Long Song set in 1820s Jamaica.
- Tom McCarthy for C set in turn of the 20th century Europe.
- David Mitchell for The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet about late 18th century Shogun Japan.
- Joseph O'Connor for Ghost Light set in 20th century England and Ireland.
- C. J. Sansom for Heartstone set in England during the summer of 1545.
- Andrew Williams for To Kill A Tsar set in Petersburg around turn of 20th century.
Notes
- ^ "Historic fiction award honours Sir Walter Scott", BBC, 27 Jan 2010
- ^ "New Walter Scott prize to honour historical novels", The Guardian, 2 Feb 2010
- ^ "The Walter Scott Prize For Historical Fiction". Retrieved 12 Jun 2011.
- ^ "Mantel's Wolf Hall wins inaugural Walter Scott Prize for historical novels", Scotsman.com, 20 June 2010
- ^ "Booker rivals clash again on Walter Scott prize shortlist", The Guardian, 2 Apr 2010
- ^ "Walter Scott historical fiction shortlist announced". BBC news. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 12 Jun 2011.
- ^ Alison Flood. "Andrea Levy wins Walter Scott prize", The Guardian, 20 June 2011
External links
- "Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction: The new time-travellers", Scotsman.com, 19 June 2010 - examines a rising interest in historical fiction in relation to the new prize.