The Wales Book of the Year is a Welsh literary award given annually to the best Welsh and English language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by Welsh or Welsh interest authors. Established in 1992, the awards are currently administered by Literature Wales, and supported by the Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government and the Welsh Books Council.
Competition format The longlist of ten works in each language is published in April and the shortlist of three works in each language at the Hay Festival in May. The winners are announced in June or July. Since 2006, the winners have each received £10,000. From 2007, four runners-up (two in each language) also each receive £1000. In 2009, Media Wales sponsored a voted "People's Choice" award for the English-language works.Academi: Wales Book of the Year Longlists Announced (accessed 23 April 2009)
The format was again changed in 2012, expanding the entries to three categories, fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry; with English and Welsh language winners in each field. In 2019, a sub-category for books for children and young people was added, to be awarded from the 2020 award onwards. An overall winner in each language is still chosen.
Regarding eligibility, the competition specifically excludes self-published authors. The Welsh national book award therefore differs from Ireland's national book award, since the latter does not preclude self-published titles from being nominated.
English language winners
Year Author Title Genre Publisher 1992 Emyr Humphreys Bonds of Attachment Fiction Macdonald/Sphere 1993 Robert Minhinnick Watching the Fire Eater Non-fiction Seren 1994 Paul Ferris Caitlin: The Life of Caitlin Thomas Non-fiction Hutchinson 1995 Duncan Bush Masks Poetry Seren 1996 Nigel Jenkins Gwalia in Khasia Non-fiction Gomer 1997 Siân James Not Singing Exactly Fiction Honno 1998 Mike Jenkins Wanting to Belong Fiction Seren 1999 Emyr Humphreys The Gift of a Daughter Fiction Seren 2000 Sheenagh Pugh Stonelight Poetry Seren 2001 Stephen Knight Mr Schnitzel Fiction Viking 2002 Stevie Davies The Element of Water Fiction The Women's Press 2003 Charlotte Williams Sugar and Slate Non-fiction Planet 2004 Niall Griffiths Stump Fiction Jonathan Cape 2005 Owen Sheers The Dust Diaries Non-fiction Faber and Faber 2006 Robert Minhinnick To Babel and Back Fiction Seren 2007 Lloyd Jones Mr Cassini Fiction Seren 2008 Dannie Abse The Presence Non-fiction Hutchinson 2009 Deborah Kay Davies Grace, Tamar and Laszlo the Beautiful Fiction Parthian 2010 Philip Gross I Spy Pinhole Eye Poetry Cinnamon 2011 John Harrison Cloud Road Non-fiction Parthian 2012 Patrick McGuinness The Last Hundred Days Fiction Seren 2013 Rhian Edwards Clueless Dogs Poetry Seren 2014 Owen Sheers Pink Mist Poetry Faber and Faber 2015 Patrick McGuinness Other People's Countries Non-fiction Jonathan Cape 2016 Thomas Morris We Don't Know What We're Doing Fiction Faber and Faber 2017 Alys Conran Pigeon Fiction Parthian 2018 Robert Minhinnick Diary of the Last Man Poetry Carcanet 2019 Ailbhe Darcy Insistence Poetry Bloodaxe Books 2020 Niall Griffiths Broken Ghost Fiction Jonathan Cape 2021 Catrin Kean Salt Fiction Gomer 2022 Nadifa Mohamed The Fortune Men Fiction Viking, Penguin Random House 2023 Caryl Lewis Drift Fiction Doubleday 2024 Tom Bullough Sarn Helen: A Journey Through Wales, Past, Present and Future Non-fiction Granta 2025Carys DaviesClearFictionGranta2026Anthony ShaplandA Room Above a ShopFictionGranta
Creative non-fiction 2012: Richard Gwyn The Vagabond's Breakfast (Alcemi) 2014: Meic Stephens Rhys Davies: A Writer's Life 2016: Jasmine Donahaye Losing Israel (Seren) 2017: Peter Lord The Tradition (Parthian)
Roland Mathias Poetry Award This award was discontinued in 2020.
2012 Gwyneth Lewis – Sparrow Tree (Bloodaxe Books) 2014 Owen Sheers – Pink Mist (Faber & Faber) 2015 Tiffany Atkinson – So Many Moving Parts (Bloodaxe Books) 2016 Philip Gross – Love Songs of Carbon (Bloodaxe Books) 2017 John Freeman - What Possessed Me? (Worple Press) 2019 Ailbhe Darcy, Insistence (Bloodaxe Books)
Welsh language winners
Fiction Award +Fiction AwardYearAuthor TitlePublisherSource1992Gerallt Lloyd OwenCilmeriGwasg Gwynedd1993Robin Llywelyn Seren Wen ar Gefndir GwynGomer1994T. Robin ChapmanW.J GruffyddGwasg Prifysgol Cymru1995Aled IslwynUnigolion, UnigeddauGomer1996Sonia EdwardsGlöynnodGwasg Gwynedd1997Gerwyn WilliamsTir Neb: Rhyddiaith Gymraeg a’r Rhyfel Byd CyntafGwasg Prifysgol Cymru1998Iwan LlwydDan DdylanwadGwasg Tâf1999R. M. JonesYsbryd y Cwlwm: Delwedd y Genedl yn ein LlenyddiaethGwasg Prifysgol Cymru2000Gwyneth LewisY Llofrudd IaithCyhoeddiadau Barddas2001Owen MartellCadw dy ffydd, brawd Gomer2002Graham DaviesCadwyni RhyddidCyhoeddiadau Barddas2003Angharad PriceO! Tyn y GorchuddGomer2004Jerry HunterLlwch CenhedoeddGwasg Carreg Gwalch2005Caryl LewisMartha, Jac a SiancoY Lolfa2006Rhys EvansGwynfor: Rhag Pob BradY Lolfa2007Llwyd OwenFfydd Gobaith CariadY Lolfa2008Gareth MilesY Proffwyd a'i Ddwy JesebelHutchinson2009Wiliam Owen RobertsPetrogradCyhoeddiadau Barddas2010John DaviesCymru: Y 100 lle i'w gweld cyn marwY Lolfa2011Ned ThomasBydoedd: Cofiant CyfnodY Lolfa2012Jon GowerY StorïwrGomer2013Manon Steffan RosBlasuY Lolfa2014Ioan KiddDewisGomer2015Gareth F. WilliamsAwst yn AnogiaGwasg Gwynedd2016Caryl LewisY BwthynY Lolfa2017Caryl LewisY GwreiddynY Lolfa2018Catrin DafyddGwalesGwasg Carreg Gwalch2019Manon Steffan RosLlyfr Glas NeboY Lolfa2020Ifan Morgan JonesBabelY Lolfa2021Megan Angharad HunterTu ôl i'r awyrY Lolfa2022Ffion DafisMoriY Lolfa2023Llŷr TitusPriddGwasg y Bwthyn2024Mari GeorgeSut i Ddofi CorrynSebra2025Gwenno GwilymV + FoGwasg y Bwthyn2026Sonia EdwardsTriGwasg y Bwthyn
Creative non-fiction 2012: Allan James John Morris-Jones (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru) 2013: Heini Gruffudd Yr Erlid (Y Lolfa) 2014: Alan Llwyd Bob: Cofiant R. Williams Parry 1884 – 1956 (Gomer) 2015: Llŷr Gwyn Lewis Rhyw Flodau Rhyfel (Y Lolfa) 2016: Gruffydd Aled Williams – Dyddiau Olaf Owain Glyndŵr (Y Lolfa) 2017: Idris Reynolds Cofio Dic (Gomer) 2018: Goronwy Wynne Blodau Cymru (Y Lolfa) 2019: Andrew Green Cymru mewn 100 Gwrthrych (Gomer) 2020: Alan Llwyd Byd Gwynn, Cofiant T. Gwynn Jones (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas) 2021: Hazel Walford Davies Cofiant Syr Owen Morgan Edwards (Gomer) 2022: Non Parry Paid â Bod Ofn (Y Lolfa) 2023: Gareth Evans-Jones Cylchu Cymru (Y Lolfa) 2024: Jane Aaron Cranogwen Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru 2025: Iola Ynyr – Camu (overall winner) 2026: Iestyn Tyne Y Cyfan a Fu Rhyngom Ni - Ar lwybrau 'Atgof' Prosser Rhys
Poetry Award 2012: Karen Owen Siarad Trwy’i Het (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas) 2013: Aneurin Karadog O Annwn i Geltia (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas) 2014: Christine James Rhwng y Llinellau (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas) 2015: Rhys Iorwerth Un Stribedyn Bach (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch) 2016: Mererid Hopwood Nes Draw (Gwasg Gomer) 2017: Aneurin Karadog Bylchau (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas) 2018: Hywel Griffiths Llif Coch Awst (Barddas) 2019: Alan Llwyd Cyrraedd a cherddi eraill (Barddas) 2020: Caryl Bryn Hwn ydy'r llais, tybad? (Cyhoeddiadau'r Stamp) 2021: Marged Tudur Mynd (Gomer) 2022: Grug Muse Merch y llyn (Cyhoeddiadau'r Stamp) 2023: Elinor Wyn Reynolds Anwyddoldeb (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas) 2024: Gruffudd Owen Mymryn Rhyddid (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas) 2025: Meleri Davies Rhuo ei distawrwydd hi (Cyhoeddiadau'r Stamp) 2026: Mererid Hopwood Mae (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas)
People's Choice Award +YearAuthorTitlePublisherSource2012Karen OwenSiarad trwy'i HetCyhoeddiadau Barddas2013Llion JonesTrydar Mewn TrawiadauCyhoeddiadau Barddas2014Ioan KiddDewisGomer2015Lleucu RobertsSaith Oes EfaY Lolfa20162017Guto DafyddYmbelydreddY Lolfa2018Peredur LynchCaeth a RhyddGwasg Carreg Gwalch2019Manon Steffan RosLlyfr Glas NeboY Lolfa2020Ifan Morgan JonesBabelY Lolfa2021Hazel Walford DaviesCofiant Syr Owen Morgan EdwardsGomer2022VariousY PumpY Lolfa2023Gwenllian EllisSgen i'm Syniad - Snogs, Secs, SensY Lolfa2024Iwan RhysTrothwyY Lolfa2025Gwenno GwilymV + FoGwasg y Bwthyn2026Carwyn EckleyTrochiGwasg Carreg Gwalch
References
External links Literature Wales: Wales Book of the Year WalesOnline: Book of the year Wales Book of the Year at lovethebook