Prizelists

The Ondaatje Prize: the best written book on this year's shortlist

And the best-written previous winner ^ And Comic-Turn Green Glove Versus Pantomime-Pinballing-Blob BOB

May 12 •

Picking the best-written books

and

The Edgar Award for best crime novel: the best-written book on the shortlist

Read the opening of our pick below ^ Something of an Anti-Climax ^ A Hermit Wanders Down from the Hills

Apr 30 •

Picking the best-written books

and

The Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses

The best written book on this year's shortlist; and the best-written of the previous winners

Apr 15 •

Picking the best-written books

and

'Certain rhythms, certain cores of sentences, come to you like dreams'

Nicholas Dames' masterclass on prose style Part II; a candidate for the best-written first book of the century; and the best from this year's John…

Mar 20 •

Picking the best-written books

and

'How much elation I got out of savage and precise wit!'

Nicholas Dames' masterclass on prose style; the best-written NBCC novel of the century; and the best from this year's shortlist

Mar 17 •

Picking the best-written books

and

The best-written book of criticism of the century; and of the year

Picked from the National Book Critics Circle Awards' previous winners, and from this year's shortlist

Mar 15 •

Picking the best-written books

and

The best-written books of the century; and the National Book Critics Circle Award: the best-written autobiography/memoir on this year's…

Our search for the most beautifully written books of the century to date; and read the opening pages of our picks below

Mar 13 •

Picking the best-written books

and

'The Gordon Burn Prize recognises literature that is forward-thinking and fearless in its ambition and execution, often playing with style'

Read our pick from this year's shortlist

Mar 3 •

Picking the best-written books

and

The most stylishly written debut novels of 2023 (US): Pay As You Go and Moonrise Over New Jessup

Read extracts below from Eskor David Johnson and Jamila Minnicks' novels

Nov 30, 2023 •

Sports Book of the Year: Kick the Latch is the most stylishly written book on the William Hill shortlist

Read a passage below from Kathryn Scanlan's book

Nov 28, 2023 •

Taking Flight: The Evolutionary Story of Life on the Wing is the most stylishly written science book of the year

* Read a passage below from Lev Parikian's book * See the shortlist for the Royal Society Science Book Prize *

Nov 20, 2023 •

History Book of the Year: Accidental Gods is the best-written book on the PEN Hessell-Tiltman shortlist

Read a passage from Anna Della Subin's book below

Nov 17, 2023 •

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