Submissions for the Wolfson History Prize 2023 are open from 6 December 2022 to 31 January 2023.
The Wolfson History Prize has today announced that celebrated historians Mary Beard and Sudhir Hazareesingh will join the judging panel as submissions open for the 2023 prize.
Beard and Hazareesingh will join a judging panel of leading historians, chaired by David Cannadine, who will work together to narrow down the very best historical non-fiction writing in the UK from the past year to a shortlist of just six books, from which one winner will be selected.
The Wolfson History Prize shines a light on books that combine excellence in research with readability for a general audience. Alongside Mary Beard, Sudhir Hazareesingh and David Cannadine, the other judges are Richard Evans, Carole Hillenbrand, and Diarmaid MacCulloch.
This year also sees a new timeline for the prize, with both the shortlist and winner announced in autumn 2023, with dates to be confirmed.
Now entering its 51st year, the Wolfson History Prize is the most valuable history writing prize in the UK, awarding a total of £75,000. The winner receives £50,000, and each of the five shortlisted authors receives £5,000.
Mary Beard, who was awarded the Wolfson History Prize in 2009 for her book, Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town, said: ‘I am absolutely delighted to become a judge of the Wolfson History Prize. It’s a prize that celebrates history writing that is both of the highest academic quality and accessible – and we need that more than ever.’
Sudhir Hazareesingh, author of Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture which won the Wolfson History Prize in 2021, added: ‘I am thrilled to join the judges for the Wolfson History Prize, Britain’s most distinguished history award. It champions the best kind of writing about the past, which captivates our imagination, encourages us to lift our gaze from the immediate present, and connect with the wider world.’
Paul Ramsbottom, chief executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said: ‘Following our 50th anniversary celebrations in 2022, we are delighted to welcome two new judges to the fold. Mary Beard and Sudhir Hazareesingh are not only experts in their respective fields, but also live the values of the prize’s aim of bringing history alive for a wide audience. We very much look forward to celebrating the books that they and our panel of judges choose.’
‘In 2023 the Wolfson History Prize will continue to highlight the books that bring new evidence, subjects and opinions to light, while engaging new readers in history writing. As we open submissions to publishers, we anticipate this year’s entries being as fascinating and far-reaching as ever.’
Submissions and eligibility
From today, publishers can submit their catalogues for consideration for the Wolfson History Prize 2023, with the window for submissions open until 31 January 2023. Alongside their submission, publishers can highlight up to six suggested books (per imprint) from the catalogues that the judges may wish to consider.
To be eligible for the Wolfson History Prize, books must cover any aspect of history and be published in English in the UK between 1 January and 31 December 2022. Authors should be resident in the UK in the year of publication, and provided they meet the residency qualification, they can be any nationality. Authors who have previously won the Wolfson History Prize are not eligible to be submitted again. Authors who have been shortlisted in previous years, but not named as an overall winner, are eligible. There is no fee for submitting catalogues for the prize. Submissions must be received by 31 January 2023.
Read more about submissions and eligibility.
Image credits: Sudhir Hazareesingh – Catherine Helie; Mary Beard – Robin Cormack.
