The first British Book Awards (known throughout the book trade as "the Nibbies") were presented on the night of 18 January 1990, the start of an eventful decade for the book world, which would see the end of the restriction on discounting of books and the arrival of multimedia.
These first ever book trade awards came together through the guidance and advice of Martyn Gott and Graham C Greene and through the organisation of Fred Newman and his team at Publishing News. The event, held at The Park Lane Hotel and hosted by Lord Lichfield, was a sell-out, and Jeffrey Archer, Sally Beauman, A S Byatt, Jilly Cooper, Frederick Forsyth and P D James were numbered among the 550 guests.
1989 winners at this first award ceremony included Peter Mayle, Faber & Faber, Roald Dahl, Bryce Courtenay (Most Promising Newcomer), Waterstone's book shop in Edinburgh and HRH Prince of Wales for his book on watercolours.
The following year, the Nibbies were held in February in the larger arena of The Royal Lancaster Hotel, memorable now for the arctic conditions in central London that made actually arriving there a triumph. Once again, a full house witnessed the best of British talent, recognised for their work, judged by panels of specialists from within the trade.
Melvyn Bragg, the Master of Ceremonies, announced several new awards, including ones for Editor, Distributor, Independent Bookseller and Bestseller (won by Delia Smith adorned with a Norwich City scarf). Other winners included Peter Ackroyd, V S Naipaul, Anne Fine and Transworld Publishers ("a very integrated team, which shows in their dealings with authors" - agent, Carol Smith). Among well-known names handing out the Nibbies that year were Sir David Attenborough, Sir Bernard Ingham and Roy Hattersley.
Several of the sponsors of individual awards that year are still involved today: KPMG, Reader's Digest, Vista Computer Systems, and BCA.
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For the 1991 Awards, Frank Delaney took on the role of MC - a position he would repeat the following year. "Not so freshly-minted as to be an entirely unknown quantity, not so established as to border on the staid, the event continues to develop and change in small, but important detail," read the Programme notes. Although the number of Awards on offer was expanding, the proceedings "will be a little brisker, allowing for a more leisurely end to the evening" - a collective roar of approval from the large audience!
Winners included Mark Shand for Travels On My Elephant, Dick King-Smith (author of Babe), the Kaydee Bookshop in Clitheroe, Roddy Doyle's The Van for best book jacket and Headline Books were voted Publisher of the Year.
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In the 4th year of the British Book Awards, demand for tickets once again exceeded the supply. The Nibbies - a recognition of outstanding merit determined by those within the industry - had well and truly "arrived".
"Nibbies come of age amid biggest ever media coverage", trumpeted the front cover of Publishing News. Indeed, for the Nibbies it was to be a year of high controversy; recipients for 1992 ranging from Madonna's Sex book (unfortunately she was unable to attend!) to Andrew Morton for Diana: Her True Story. Plus Michael Palin, Raymond Briggs and Neil Belton (Brian Keenan's editor at Jonathan Cape). The audience had grown to 600 and the coveted Publisher of the Year Award was carried off by Dorling Kindersly in the wake of their money-spinning flotation in the autumn. Dr David Hessayon, author of the Expert gardening books, accepted the inaugural award for Lifetime Achievement. He told the audience, "This is an evening full of warmth which leaves The Booker Prize standing."
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Unable to house all its guests in its previous home, the 1993 British Book Awards moved to Park Lane and The London Hilton. Hosted by Sir David Frost, for the first time, the Awards were judged by an "Academy" of over 100 people closely involved in the industry. In their collective wisdom, the glittering prize-winners included Jung Chang, Roddy Doyle, Catherine Cookson (Lifetime Achievement), Anne Fine and Transworld (both for the second time), Babette Cole, Terry Pratchett ("the Dickens of the 20th century" The Mail on Sunday) and Books Etc. in the Charing Cross Road.
In front of an audience of nearly 700, the Presenters provided much of the entertainment in the shape of Willie Rushton, Terry Waite, Sarah Dunant and Alan Clark MP, whose tussle with the announcement envelope was memorable.
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The 6th Annual Awards were presented in February 1995, once again at The London Hilton, with a new Master of Ceremonies, Ned Sherrin.
Among the highlights of the evening: a popular win and an hilarious acceptance speech by Alan Bennett for his Book of the Year, Writing Home; a warm reception for Delia Smith presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Robert Carrier; and a popular choice, Sebastian Faulks, who'd narrowly missed out on other major literary prizes that year, as Author of the Year - "I never thought Birdsong would win anything." Also honoured for 1994 - The Art Book from Phaidon Press, the Books for Cooks shop in West London and Publisher of the Year, Little, Brown.
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The 1995 Nibbies - the sparkling wit of Ned Sherrin once again to the fore - were the biggest (over 750 guests and the best yet, with hilarious high spots from Adrian Edmonson and Men Behaving Badly, Neil Morrissey and Martin Clunes.
Transworld became KPMG Publisher of the Year for a record third time and Robert Topping, manager of Waterstone's in Manchester stopped the show with a rousing acceptance speech. Wilbur Smith flew in from South Africa to collect the fourth annual Lifetime Achievement Award and the first Services to Bookselling Award was handed to Ainslie Thin, the Edinburgh bookseller. Loudest cheer of the night was reserved for perhaps the most overdue award recipient - Salman Rushdie, not long out of hiding, for Author of the Year.
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The 1996 Nibbies were attended by a record 786 guests and it was Ned Sherrin's hat-trick as MC. The prestigious Publisher of the Year Award was won by Fourth Estate, whose author, Dava Sobel, also scooped the Book of the Year for her runaway bestseller, Longitude. Not a bad investment for an original advance of £7,500!
The Author of the Year Award went to anglophile humorist and travel writer, Bill Bryson. His Nibbie was presented by comedy script writer, Barry Cryer. Bryson quipped, 'Barry is the writer of my favourite ever line, "What is an occasional table the rest of the time?'" The Bookseller Award for Services to Bookselling went to Paul Hamlyn (Lord Hamlyn of Edgeworth). Other awards were presented by Lord Owen, Minette Walters and the Two Fat Ladies, but the loudest applause was for footballer, John Barnes, who didn't even have a book out - yet!
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Back at the London Hilton and if 1996 was a record year for the Nibbies, then 1997 smashed the previous attendance with 904 guests - obstructed vision and standing room only. Ned Sherrin back as MC by public demand. The mighty Random House, having recently swallowed up Reed Trade Books, picked up the Nibbie for Publisher of the Year - shortly afterwards, they were to become part of the Bertelsmann combine, along with new stablemates, thrice-Nibbie winners, Transworld. Author of the Year, the unassuming mandolin player and ex-teacher, Louis de Bernieres. Book of the Year - surprise, surprise, million copy seller, Bridget Jones's Diary. That perennial favourite of booksellers, Michael Palin, was on hand to present a new award, sponsored by Waterstone's, to the Publisher's Rep of the Year, Tina Miller of Walker Books. A welcome postscript, apart from the jazz band playing on 'til 5.00am, was the most well-deserved award of the night, after nine years, to top editor, Liz Calder.
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February 1999, and at the 10th anniversary of the Nibbies, the guest list topped 1,000 for the first time with guests threatening to spill out of The Hilton's dining room into the bar! There were highly entertaining speeches from presenters Ben Elton and Ted Heath and Uri Geller claimed he didn't need to open the envelope to name the supply chain winner. Fred Newman was also surprised by a special award to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the awards he founded.
The KPMG Publisher of the Year accolade went to Penguin Books and Ted Hughes was posthumously awarded the Book of the Year for Birthday Letters. Beryl Bainbridge received a standing ovation when announced as Author of the Year - "I've got this speech I wrote for last year's Booker…" she quipped. A very popular choice for the Lifetime Achievement Award was Maeve Binchy, who said, " I'm absolutely thrilled and delighted…I'm not the kind of person who wins prizes…I'm just glad that I did as I was told and wasn't in the loo when my moment arrived."
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J K Rowling, the megaselling author of the Harry Potter Books which have now sold 5 million copies in the UK and Commonwealth, was voted Author of the Year at the 11th annual British Book Awards, the biggest and most celebrated event in the book publishing calendar. Rowling, controversially edged out of the recent Whitbread Award by poet Seamus Heaney, was a clear winner, and was presented with the coveted award before an audience of 1200 publishers, booksellers and fellow authors at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Rowling, who wrote her first novel in an Edinburgh café, headed a shortlist that also included Terry Pratchett, Colin Dexter and Stephen King. Managing My Life by Sir Alex Ferguson was the Book of the Year. No sports book has ever won before but Sir Alex has a habit of winning!
Much-loved comedian Spike Milligan was given the special Lifetime Achievement Award and accepted it saying "Thank you very much for this award and I think I deserve it." During his lifetime Spike produced over ninety titles covering poetry, children's stories, scripts, general humour, novels and his highly acclaimed war memoirs. Total sales of Spike's books run to millions of copies, making him one of Britain's most successful authors. The Newcomer of the Year Award went to Sort of Books and its hugely successful bestseller Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart.
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Hosted for the first time by author and comedian, Tony Hawks, the 12th annual British Book Awards were held for the eighth year at the London Hilton. The Book of the Year Award went to Man and Boy, the outstanding debut novel by Tony Parsons 2000's runaway success story that has sold over ¾ million copies. Other shortlisted titles were Chocolat by Joanne Harris and Experience by Martin Amis. Nigella Lawson was named Author of the Year. Lawson headed a shortlist that included J K Rowling, Ian Rankin and Colin Dexter.
Zadie Smith was a popular choice for the Newcomer Award for White Teeth one of the most talked about and critically acclaimed debuts of the decade. Smith, who was shortlisted for The Whitbread First Novel, Orange Prize and Guardian Fiction prize was unfortunately not available to collect the award in person as she was away on a European book tour. His Dark Materials III: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman saw off fierce competition from Harry Potter to win the Children's Book of the Year. The Amber Spyglass was viewed as one of the literary achievements of the year enjoying success in all markets and firmly establishing the success of this trilogy. Bloomsbury was named top Publisher for the second year running. The Beatles Anthology was the Illustrated Book of the Year. Yeah, yeah, yeah!
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Pamela Stephenson & Philip Pullman scooped the top honours at British Book Awards 2002, held for the first time in the massive Great Room at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, and MCd once again by Tony Hawks, author of One Hit Wonderland. A full house. The Book of the Year Award went to Billy, the outstanding biography of the well-loved comedian Billy Connolly written by his wife Pamela Stephenson; the paperback went on to become the biggest seller of that year. Ian McEwan, shortlisted in both Author of the Year and Book of the Year, missed out on an award. Philip Pullman was named Author of the Year, his third Nibbies triumph in the last five years. The hugely popular McCarthy's Bar won the Newcomer award for Pete McCarthy, a reflection of the books constant place in the bestseller lists for the last year. McCarthy's debut has sold over half a million copies.
With Philip Pullman, J K Rowling and Jacqueline Wilson graduating to the adult categories, there was a chance for less well-known childrens authors to have a bite and the Children's Award went to Irish teacher-turned-author, Eoin Colfer, for Artemis Fowl, a book that has been described as 'Die Hard with Fairies'. HarperCollins, who had ten titles shortlisted for awards and whose profitability rose by a cool 45% last year, won the prize for Publisher of the Year.
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The British Book Awards 2003 once more saw the Nibbies acknowledged as the foremost book event in the UK publishing calendar, for while other book awards are seen as elitist, the Nibbies is viewed as representing what actually happens with book sales and popularity on the streets (and on the internet!). Michael Moore gave a stirring political speech when he accepted his award for the Book of the Year, Stupid White Men, while Author of the Year Sarah Waters was visibly shaken to be serenaded by award presenter Norman Wisdom. There was a specially enthusiastic round of applause when Alan Bennett received his Lifetime Achievement Award and Jacqueline Wilson was Lady of the Rings when she won the Children's Book Award for Girls in Tears.
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The British Book Awards 2004 was a sparkling multi-media event. With prime time television coverage, it promised to be the biggest ever Nibbies, and sure enough it was, and even the most cynical book business type could not fail to have been impressed by the professionalism shown by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan in their presentation of the event. Authors and celebrities were out in force. Mark Haddon had prepared an acceptance speech - as he does even when he has no chance of victory so that he is "not surprised"... his surprise, and no speech, came when he won his second Nibbie of the night. Alice Sebold, who accepted her Richard & Judy Best Read award from two reading groups, said it was better than winning an Oscar. Alexander McCall Smith was modest in accepting his Author of the Year Award, Lynne Truss visibly shocked by winning Book of the Year, and Frankie Dettori took delight in presenting "my twin brother" Martin Johnson the Sports Book of the Year Award. Little and large indeed. Rugby World Cup memories were stirred as Johnson took the stage. Finally, the Lifetime Achievement award went to Sir David Attenborough, who claimed he felt like a fraud - his lifetime was by no means over as he had just started recording another series. That's the Nibbies - the book event of the year...
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THE 2005 British Book Awards results, announced at a star-studded event in the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, were hosted once again by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The Richard & Judy effect had already taken its hold on the British book trade with their hugely popular Book Club the overall winner David Mitchell also hoisted the Literary Fiction Award, and the evening's contenders included a former US President, a wayward former English international footballer and an author who had managed to offend the Vatican and sell over 20 million books in the process. Bill Clinton, Paul Gascoigne, Dan Brown and Michael Palin were just some of the successful writers in the sparkling 2005 list of Nibbie winners. The Life Achievement Award went to Sir John Mortimer, presented by his actress daughter Emily, it was always going to be “emotional” tears in the champagne on the Mortimer family table. Other winners included Susanna Clarke for her extraordinary first novel Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and Sheila Hancock, wearing what she described as her “good good loser's face” walked away with the prestigious Author of the Year Nibbie for her bestselling memoir about her husband John Thaw, The Two of Us.
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The 2006 17th British Book Awards evening and the third to be televised, took place at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on 29th March, and was attended by a thousand guests, among them Vanessa Redgrave, Tom Parker Bowles, Liz Smith, Sandra Howard and Jilly Cooper. To no-one's great great surprise but to everyone's great delight, Alan Bennett won his third Nibbie, as Reader's Digest Author of the Year, for Untold Stories. It was a hat-trick, too, for J K Rowling, who adds to her mantelpiece a Nibbie for W H Smith Book of the Year with Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince. To read the full story of the night, click here.
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