Edinburgh investment giant Baillie Gifford announced that Rachel Clarke, Richard Flanagan, Annie Jacobsen, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Sue Prideaux and David Van Reybrouck are the six authors shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2024.
The shortlist was announced by 2024 prize judge Peter Hoskin at an event at Cheltenham Literature Festival.
The prize recognises and rewards the best of non-fiction and is open to authors of any nationality.
The winning author will receive £50,000, with the other shortlisted authors each receiving £5,000, bringing the total prize value to £75,000.
The shortlist of six books was chosen by this year’s judging panel: journalist, broadcaster and founder of China Dialogue, Isabel Hilton (chair); author and investigative journalist, Heather Brooke; comment and culture editor for New Scientist, Alison Flood; culture editor of Prospect, Peter Hoskin; writer and critic, Tomiwa Owolade; and author, restaurant critic and journalist, Chitra Ramaswamy.
Their selection was made from 349 books published between November 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024.
The titles on this year’s shortlist are: The Story of a Heart (Abacus, Little, Brown, Hachette UK) by Rachel Clarke (British), Question 7 (Chatto & Windus, Vintage, Penguin Random House) by Richard Flanagan (Australian), Nuclear War: A Scenario (Torva, Transworld, Penguin Random House) by Annie Jacobsen (American), Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial (Corsair, Little, Brown, Hachette UK), Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin (Faber & Faber) by Sue Prideaux (British), Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World (The Bodley Head, Vintage, Penguin Random House) by David Van Reybrouck (Belgian) and translated by David Colmer and David McKay.
Isabel Hilton, chair of judges, said: “The six shortlisted books showcase a breathtaking range of subjects and styles, expand our understanding and challenge our perspectives. Each one demonstrates exceptional scholarship and compelling narrative and offers profound insight into some of the most pressing issues of our time.
“It is a shortlist that we celebrate as a testament to the power of non-fiction to enlighten, engage and inspire us. Choosing a winner will be a daunting task but one that we embrace with enthusiasm.”
With his shortlisting, author Richard Flanagan is still in the running to become the first author to “win the double” of both the Baillie Gifford and Booker Prizes.