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1999 - Longlist
The judges for the UK’s most valuable prize for non-fiction
today announce the longlist for the 1999 Samuel Johnson
Prize. The prize is worth £30,000 to the winner
and £2,500 to each of the shortlisted authors.
The 21 books on the longlist reflect the diverse nature
of non-fiction publishing today. The past year has
seen a renaissance in non-fiction with biography, science
and history all topping the bestseller lists.
The Samuel Johnson Prize was greeted with
delight by the literary world when it was launched at the
end of last year. Since 1997, with the demise of the
NCR Award, there has been no major prize exclusively for
non-fiction. The Samuel Johnson Prize aims
to reward the best of non-fiction, from biography to travel,
from popular science to the arts and current affairs. 148
books were entered for the prize in this, its first year.
The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction is
sponsored by a retired British businessman and philanthropist,
who wishes to remain anonymous.
The judges for this year’s prize are broadcaster James
Naughtie,
(Chair), barrister and wife of the Prime, Minister Cherie
Booth, historian Orlando Figes, journalist Kate
Summerscale and
scientist Lewis Wolpert.
The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction will
be awarded in
London on 14 June 1999. The shortlist will be announced
on 24 May.
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