Penguin General and Faber win at 2019 British Book Awards; ‘Normal People’ wins book of the year

In the UK, the winners of the 2019 British Book Awards, known as the ‘Nibbies’, have been announced.

In the trade section of the awards, Penguin General was named publisher of the year, with a special mention going to Little, Brown, while Faber won independent publisher of the year for the second year running.

In retailing, W H Smith Travel was named book retailer of the year and Golden Hare Books in Edinburgh was awarded bookshop of the year, while children’s bookseller of the year went to Waterstones.

UK Bookseller’s Association CEO Tim Godfray was recognised for outstanding contribution to the book trade, ahead of his retirement this year after 35 years in the role.

Faber book Normal People (Sally Rooney) was named book of the year.

The full list of book award winners is:

Fiction book of the year

• Normal People (Sally Rooney, Faber)

Fiction: crime and thriller book of the year

• Our House (Louise Candlish, S&S)

Debut book of the year

• Lullaby (Leila Slimani, Faber)

Nonfiction lifestyle book of the year

• Bosh! (Henry Firth & Ian Theasby, HQ)

Nonfiction narrative book of the year

• Becoming (Michelle Obama, Viking)

Audiobook of the year

• Becoming (Michelle Obama, Penguin Random House Audio)

Children’s fiction book of the year

• The Ice Monster (David Walliams, HarperCollins)

Children’s illustrated and nonfiction book of the year

• You Are Awesome (Matthew Syed, illus by Toby Triumph, Wren & Rook)
• Highly commended: Politics for Beginners (Usborne).

The winners were announced at a ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House on 13 May. For a full list of trade awards winners, click here.

Category: Awards International news