The John Llewellyn Rhys Prize rewards the best work of literature (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama) by a UK or Commonwealth writer aged 35 or under.
This important prize is awarded in honour of the writer John Llewellyn Rhys, who was killed in action in the Second World War. It was founded 65 years by John Llewellyn Rhys's young wife, also a writer, who began the award to honour and celebrate his life.
Past winners include Margaret Drabble (1966), William Boyd (1982), Jeanette Winterson (1987), Ray Monk (1990), Matthew Kneale (1992) and David Mitchell (1999). Last year’s winner was Sarah Hall for The Carhullan Army.
2008 prize
Entries are now being accepted for the 2008 prize.
The deadline is 29 August 2008.
Download the entry requirements and the entry form
The judges for the 2008 prize are:
Henry Sutton (Chair), author and books editor of the Daily Mirror
Joolz Denby, author and poet
Sarah Hall, author and winner of the 2006/07 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
Read about the judges for the 2008 prize (Adobe Acrobat .pdf format 82Kb)
This year's shortlist will be announced at the end of October.
The winner will receive £5,000 and the other shortlisted authors will receive £500.
2006/07 prize
Winner
The winner of the 2006/07 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize was Sarah Hall for her novel The Carhullan Army.
Sarah received a cheque for £5,000 at a ceremony at City Inn, Westminster, London, on 29 November 2007. The other shortlisted authors receive £500 each.
Read the press release (Microsoft Word .doc format 33Kb)
2006/07 prize shortlist
Blood Kin by Ceridwen Dovey (Atlantic)
The Carhullan Army by Sarah Hall (Faber)
Inglorious by Joanna Kavenna (Faber)
The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane (Granta)
Joshua Spassky by Gwendoline Riley (Jonathan Cape)
Occupational Hazards by Rory Stewart (Picador)
The judges for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize 2006/07 were:
Suzi Feay (Chair), Literary Editor of the Independent on Sunday
Peter Hobbs, author
Michèle Roberts, author and poet
Download judges announcement press release (Microsoft Word .doc format 95Kb)
2005 prize
Winner
The winner of the 2005 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize was Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala, published by John Murray.
Publisher Roland Philips collected the award on behalf of the author, who was unable to attend the ceremony at City Inn, Westminster, on 6 December 2006 (the prize is awarded retrospectively).
2005 shortlist
Tokyo Cancelled by Rana Dasgupta (Fourth Estate)
The Short Day Dying by Peter Hobbs (Faber and Faber)
Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala (John Murray)
The State of the Prisons by Sinéad Morrissey (Carcanet Press)
Newfoundland by Rebbecca Ray (Hamish Hamilton)
Gem Squash Tokoloshe by Rachel Zadok (Pan Macmillan)
The judges were:
Courttia Newland (Chair), author
Lemn Sissay, poet
Benedicte Page, journalist
Prize information
Tarryn McKay
t 020 8516 2972
e tarryn@booktrust.org.uk
Press enquiries
Katherine Solomon
t 020 8875 4583
e katherine.solomon@booktrust.org.uk
