The Idea of The Brain
Matthew Cobb
2020 The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction
Announced at a digital ceremony, Craig Brown was crowned the winner of the 22nd edition of the prize with his book One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time. Historical works dominated the shortlist, with former winner Kate Summerscale making the list with her book 'The Haunting of Alma Fielding'.
Longlist announced
10 September 2020
Shortlist announced
15 October 2020
Winner & prize ceremony
24 November 2020
What the judges said“One Two Three Four is a joyous, irreverent, insightful celebration of The Beatles, a highly original take on familiar territory. It’s also a profound book about success and failure.”
The shortlist
A prestigious shortlist of books are selected each year for the prize.
What the judges said"In 2020 we certainly learned that truth is stranger than fiction and our shortlist shows the sheer power of real life stories. From brain science to Beatlemania, Shoguns to suburban poltergeists, sex slavery to slave rebellions, this is our eclectic lockdown library."
The longlist
The Baillie Gifford Prize rewards excellence in non-fiction writing
What the judges said"We have managed to agree on thirteen exceptional books which reflect the creative power of 21st century non-fiction from new writers to accomplished authors, spanning war, art, science, history, ghosts and The Beatles."
Meet the judges for 2020
The longlist, shortlist and winner is chosen by a panel of independent judges, which changes every year.
Martha Kearney
Former presenter of BBC Radio 4’s The World at One
Shahidha Bari
Presenter of BBC 2’s Inside Culture, BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking and Front Row
Simon Ings
Former Culture Editor at New Scientist
Leo Robson
Winner of the 2019 Best Arts+ Culture Story at the Foreign Press Association Awards
Max Strasser
Assistant Editor at The New York Times
Bee Wilson
Writer of the ‘Table Talk’ column for The Wall Street Journal
