Empires of the Dead
David Crane
2013 The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction
In a year when non-fiction was outselling fiction, the judges, chaired by cosmologist and astrophysicist Martin Rees, selected a list of books spanning thousands of years of history and tell the stories of people from diverse worlds including politics, exploration, and fashion.
Longlist announced
6 September 2013
Shortlist announced
30 September 2013
Winner & prize ceremony
4 November 2013
The winner
The Pike
Published by: Fourth Estate
What the judges said“Her original experimentation with form transcends the conventions of biography. And they will be transfixed by her vivid portrayal of D'Annunzio - how this repellent egotist quickly gained literary celebrity.”
The shortlist
A prestigious shortlist of books are selected each year for the prize.
What the judges said"The authors have conveyed specialised (and in some cases unfamiliar) subjects in a refreshing and readable way, revealing new perspectives.”
The longlist
The Baillie Gifford Prize rewards excellence in non-fiction writing
Small Wars, Far Away Places
Michael Burleigh
The Memory Palace
Edward Hollis
Disraeli
Douglas Hurd
Modernity Britain
David Kynaston
The War That Ended Peace
Margaret MacMillan
Time's Anvil
Richard Morris
Edmund Burke
Jesse Norman
The Story of the Jews
Simon Schama
Far From The Tree
Andrew Solomon
Diana Vreeland
Amanda Mackenzie Stuart
Everest
Harriet Tuckey
Danubia
Simon Winder
What the judges saidThe range of titles on the list reflects the welcome diversity and quality of non-fiction writing. We're confident that readers will find much to admire and enjoy in these original, enlightening and thought-provoking books.”
Meet the judges for 2013
The longlist, shortlist and winner is chosen by a panel of independent judges, which changes every year
Martin Rees
Astronomer Royal
Mary Beard
Scholar and classics editor of The Times Literary Supplement
Shami Chakrabarti
Former director of Liberty in the Labour party
Peter Hennessy
Historian and academic specialising in the history of government
James McConnachie
Former Advisory Fellow for the Royal Literary Fund
News about the 2013 prize
Biography of “repellent” Italian poet and politician awarded 2013 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction
4 November 2013
Lucy Hughes-Hallett writes a blog in the style of Gabriele d'Annunzio
25 October 2013
Charles Moore on Margaret Thatcher: The handbag ruled
24 October 2013