The popular coffee house Caffè Nero has announced the winners of its first-ever Nero Book Awards, spotlighting exceptional literary talents from the UK and Ireland. This prestigious event honours books in four categories: Children’s Fiction, Debut Fiction, Fiction, and Nonfiction, celebrating the past year’s standout works.
The Nero Book Awards, a part of Caffè Nero’s arts sponsorship programme, are conducted in partnership with Right to Dream, Brunel University London, and The Booksellers Association. The awards have gained considerable attention and support from the publishing industry, with notable endorsements from authors like Stephen Fry, Juno Dawson, Sara Collins, Louise Doughty, Sarfraz Manzoor, and Richard Osman.
A diverse panel of 12 judges, comprising authors, booksellers, and journalists, selected the category winners from a pool of talented writers based in the UK and Ireland.
2023 Nero Book Awards category winners:
- Children’s Fiction: “The Swifts” by Beth Lincoln (Puffin), Illustrated by Claire Powell.
- Debut Fiction: “Close to Home” by Michael Magee (Hamish Hamilton).
- Fiction: “The Bee Sting” by Paul Murray (Hamish Hamilton).
- Nonfiction: “Strong Female Character” by Fern Brady (Brazen).
Each category winner will receive £5,000. Additionally, one of these winners will be awarded the prestigious Nero Gold Prize, Book of the Year, along with a £30,000 prize. The overall winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on March 14, chaired by Bernardine Evaristo.
What the books are about
The 2023 winners have explored diverse and significant themes, ranging from mental health and neurodiversity to the enduring impact of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Their works reflect the wide range of cultural material from the UK and Ireland.
Lincoln’s “The Swifts,” a delightful murder mystery, emerged from Penguin Random House’s WriteNow scheme, which promotes writers from underrepresented communities. Magee’s “Close to Home” is a deeply personal novel inspired by his upbringing in West Belfast, garnering acclaim and multiple awards.
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“The Bee Sting” by Murray, a poignant reflection on a family’s struggle during the Irish banking crisis, has drawn comparisons to notable authors like Jonathan Franzen. While Brady’s “Strong Female Character” offers a candid and humorous memoir, touching upon her life with autism.
Promoting the arts and showcasing creative excellence
Gerry Ford, founder and group CEO of Caffè Nero, expressed pride in the initiative: “The Nero Book Awards are a hugely important part of our programme to sponsor the arts and support creative excellence […] It is our goal that these Awards come to represent a badge of exceptional quality which is seen as aspirational for authors and within the industry and a trustworthy recommendation for readers.”
Evaristo commented on the importance of literary prizes in the digital age, emphasising their role in promoting sustained engagement with literature. She expressed excitement about chairing the Nero Gold Prize and selecting the overall book of the year.
“At a time when literature is under threat from the addictive distractions of social media and the internet, literary prizes not only celebrate individual writers and elevate careers, but draw attention to a beautiful art form that requires and rewards sustained concentration and engagement with words, other people’s lives, and the imagination.”
Bernardine Evaristo
The eligibility criteria for the 2023 Nero Book Awards required books to be first published in English in the UK or Ireland between December 1st, 2022, and November 30th, 2023. Authors had to be living in the UK or Ireland for at least three years at the time of entry.
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