Nonfiction works traditionally have been dominated by men. From prizes to bookshelves, it comes without a doubt that works authored by men outnumber women's. The Women's Prize for Nonfiction is on a mission to challenge and reshape the existing norm, striving to amplify recognition for female voices in the nonfiction genre.
Led by British historian Suzannah Lipscomb, the judging panel for this first Women's Prize introduced a roster of 16 contenders vying for the esteemed £30,000 ($38,000) award. Distinguished as an offshoot of the well-established Women's Prize for Fiction, this prize sets itself apart by inviting female English-language writers from any country and embracing various nonfiction genres.
Lipscomb highlighted a crucial aspect driving the need for such a prize - the gender disparity in recognition of expertise and authority within the realm of nonfiction. In 2022, only 26.5% of nonfiction books reviewed in British newspapers were by women. Additionally, established nonfiction writing prizes have been predominantly awarded to male writers, revealing that only 35% of nonfiction winners over the past decade were women. The Women's Prize for Nonfiction seeks to address what journalist Mary Ann Sieghart termed the 'authority gap.'
As the jury chair, Lipscomb commented on the longlist, 'Reading for the Women's Prize for Nonfiction has been a revelation and a joy. I'm very proud to introduce the sensational books that make up the inaugural longlist.'
Lipscomb noted that many, though not all, of the longlisted books incorporate a personal voice, blending academic research with personal reflections. She stated that authors embraced their subjectivity, indicating a shift over the past decade. Panelists include Venetia La Manna, Professor Nicola Rollock, Anne Sebba, and Kamila Shamsie.
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Authors from various countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, India, Jamaica, the Philippines, and the U.K., have made it on the prize's longlist. The selection process involved choosing from 120 books submitted by publishers.
The longlist includes works that delve into pressing issues of our time. Naomi Klein explores online misinformation in "Doppleganger," while Patricia Evangelista investigates the Philippines' drug war in "Some People Need Killing." Academic contributions like Cat Bohannon's "Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution" and Madhumita Murgia's "Code-Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI" add depth to the selection.
The list includes works in various genres, including history, travelogue, autobiography, and biography. Every book adds to the theme of uncovering facts, telling untold stories, and righting wrongs. As Anna Funder once wrote, "The project of good writing is to reveal to us the world we thought we knew."
In conclusion, the Women's Prize for Nonfiction emphasizes supporting more diverse nonfiction writing and elevating women's voices in literature. The six finalists for the nonfiction award will be revealed on March 27. The winner will be revealed in London on June 13.
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