Introduction
This year The British Book Awards celebrates all that is brilliant about the book business—which makes picking the winners all the tougher...
F
rom well-loved community indies to rights teams driving UK exports, The British Book Awards celebrate all that is good about this business. This year we have brought back an old favourite in Author of the Year and introduced a new Nibbie: Illustrator of the Year.
It’s a truism, but without authors and illustrators there are no books to publish, no books to sell. They are the stars. We must cherish them. The Nibbies set a great challenge for anyone seeking a coveted Book of
the Year award. Being a great book isn’t sufficient for us. Published brilliantly? Sure, but not enough. Sold in good numbers? Of course, but that’s not the only measure. It’s the Ironman of Awards. Easy it is not. There’s an irony at the heart of The British Book Awards. Year-round, The
Bookseller picks out and champions the stellar books ringing the tills in indies and chains alike. Then it gets to judging time. That sheer bulk of great books makes for tough decision-making. A migraine of judges? Where’s Robert Macfarlane with the right word when you need him? It’s a good business, but it’s not without its challenges. Greater staffing and
publishing inclusivity is a necessity. Literacy levels need support, not library and charity cuts. An iniquitous rates system hobbles our physical retailers. Running the Nibbies is an enormous undertaking. Without the commitment
of The Bookseller’s devoted team, the backing of sponsors, the dedication of judges, the efforts of those who entered and all those who joined us on the night, it would not happen. Our thanks go out to them all. We are indie super-fans. We love bold publishing.
We applaud great writing and illustrating. Shortlisted, highly commended, or a winner, we salute you. Sláinte.
NIGEL ROBY
PUBLISHER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE THE BOOKSELLER
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
