The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2026 Announces Shortlist

Nicholas Boggs, Anand Gopal, Patrick Radden Keefe, Edmund Richardson, Matthew Sweet and Andrea Wulf have been announced as the six authors shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2026. The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction is widely recognised as the world’s most prestigious international award for literary non-fiction that is open to books on any subject and to writers of any nationality. Since 1999 it has named the best non-fiction book of the year. The winning author receives £50,000. The shortlist of six books were chosen by this year’s judging panel: Kirsty Lang, broadcaster and arts journalist (chair); head of books at Waterstones, Bea Carvalho; writer and cultural historian Dr Tiffany Jenkins; literary editor of The Spectator, Sam Leith; editor and reporter, Ravi Mattu; and award-winning novelist and storyteller, Elif Shafak. Their selection was made from over 350 eligible books published between 1 November 2025 and 31 October 2026. From the courts of ancient Macedon and the upheaval of the French Revolution to contemporary London and revolutionary Syria, this year’s shortlist spans biography, history, investigation and political reportage. The winner will be announced on Wednesday 4 November at an award ceremony at BMA House, generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. The announcement will also be livestreamed across the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction social channels. Read the press release here.