In a stunning victory for Australian literature, Helen Garner has been crowned winner of the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction with her deeply personal work, How to End a Story: Diaries 1995-1998.
A Literary Triumph at 83
The 83-year-old author's intimate diaries, which chronicle the final years of her marriage to novelist Murray Bail, captivated judges with their raw honesty and literary brilliance. Garner becomes the second Australian writer to claim this esteemed award, following in the footsteps of Chloe Hooper's 2018 win.
Judges Hail 'Extraordinary' Work
Chair of judges, historian and broadcaster Tom Sutcliffe, described Garner's winning entry as "an extraordinary book" that demonstrates how "the stuff of life can be turned into art." The judging panel praised the diaries for their emotional depth and literary craftsmanship.
"What she has produced is a masterpiece of honesty and clarity," Sutcliffe remarked during the ceremony at London's Science Museum. "It's a book that shows how the raw material of personal experience can be transformed into something truly artistic."
Beating Stiff Competition
Garner's work triumphed over a formidable shortlist that included:
- Jonathan Freedland's The Escape Artist
- Jeremiah Bohr's Neurotechnology and International Security
- Madhumita Murgia's Code Dependent
- Noreen Masud's A Flat Place
- John Vaillant's Fire Weather
Prize Recognition and Impact
The Baillie Gifford Prize, celebrating its 27th year, awards £50,000 to the winning author and aims to recognise the best non-fiction writing in English. Past recipients include iconic works such as Antony Beevor's Stalingrad and Wade Davis's Into the Silence.
Garner's victory marks a significant moment for diary as a literary form, elevating personal reflection to the highest echelons of non-fiction writing and demonstrating the enduring power of truthful self-examination in literature.
