Baillie Gifford Prize
Episodes
The 2025 Shortlist: Adam Weymouth
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's the final episode of the Read Smart podcast hearing from our 6 shortlisted authors! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks w...
The 2025 Shortlist: Richard Holmes
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's Episode 5 of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with biographer and historian Richard Holmes abo...
The 2025 Shortlist: Jason Burke
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time for Episode 4 of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with journalist and author Jason Burk...
The 2025 Shortlist: Helen Garner
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re diving into Episode 3 of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with acclaimed writer Helen Garne...
The 2025 Shortlist: Justin Marozzi
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re back with episode 2 of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with author and historian Justin Ma...
The 2025 Shortlist: Frances Wilson
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re back with a brand new series of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with Author Frances Wilson...
Read Smart: The 2024 Winner
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the final Read Smart podcast of the year, where Georgina Godwin speaks to the Baillie Gifford Prize 2024 winner, Richard Flanagan. Hear more...
Read Smart: Viet Thanh Nguyen
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into our final 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Việt Thanh Nguyễn, who has been shortlisted for his book, A Man of Two Faces, whic...
Read Smart: David Van Reybrouck
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for the next episode of The Read Smart podcast, as we welcome David Van Reybrouck, acclaimed author of Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of th...
Read Smart: Richard Flanagan
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into our next 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Richard Flanagan, who has been shortlisted for his brilliant book, Question 7. From the...
Read Smart: Annie Jacobsen
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into our next 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Annie Jacobsen, who has been shortlisted for the prize this year with Nuclear War: A Sc...
Read Smart: Rachel Clarke
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into our next 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Dr Rachel Clarke about her shortlisted book, The Story of a Heart, which intertwines th...
Read Smart: Sue Prideaux
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in to the first of our 'In Conversation' podcast episodes, where we speak to all six of this year's shortlisted authors about their extraordinary...
Read Smart: The 2024 Shortlist
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast, where host Georgina Godwin is joined by Heather Brooke, a member of this year's judging panel,...
Read Smart: The 2024 Longlist
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, where two of our judges – Peter Hoskin and Chitra Ramaswamy – explore the 2024 longlist wi...
Read Smart: Real Lives, Real Minds - Mental Health Within Non
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in to the next episode of The Read Smart Podcast, where Georgina Godwin speaks to Christina Lamb and Catrina Davies about the complex and delicat...
Read Smart: We Need To Talk About...
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in to the next episode of the Read Smart Podcast, where 2022 Baillie Gifford Prize judge, Georgina Godwin, speaks to 2023 winner John Vaillant, s...
Read Smart: Understanding China
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for the latest episode of The Read Smart podcast, where host Razia Iqbal speaks to Isabel Hilton, 2024 Chair of Judges and founder of China Di...
Read Smart: Gardens Past and Present
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for the next episode of The Read Smart podcast, where host Razia Iqbal joins writer, historian and former Baillie Gifford Prize judge, Ruth Sc...
Read Smart: Insight into a Year of Elections
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the first Read Smart episode of 2024 - and what a year it's set to be. With more than two billion voters in 50 countries heading to the poll...
The 2023 Winner
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the final Read Smart episode of the year, where host Razia Iqbal will be speaking to the 2023 winner John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather,...
The 2023 Shortlist: Jennifer Homans
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, which is dedicated to Jennifer Homans and her #BGPrize2023 shortlisted work, Mr B: George Bala...
The 2023 Shortlist: Tania Branigan
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into this special shortlist edition of the Read Smart podcast, where Toby Mundy speaks to #BGPrize2023 shortlisted author Tania Branigan about he...
The 2023 Shortlist: Hannah Barnes
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into this special shortlist edition of the Read Smart podcast, where Razia Iqbal speaks to #BGPrize2023 shortlisted author, Hannah Barnes about T...
The 2023 Shortlist: Christopher Clark
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into this episode of The Read Smart podcast, where host Toby Mundy speaks to 2023 shortlisted author Christopher Clark. Christopher’s book, Rev...
The 2023 Shortlist: John Vaillant
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, where Toby Mundy will be speaking to another one of this year’s shortlisted authors, John Va...
The 2023 Shortlist: Jeremy Eichler
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the first of our Read Smart special shortlist episodes, where we will be chatting to all six of this year’s shortlisted authors in the run...
The 2023 Shortlist
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the special shortlist episode of the Read Smart podcast, which features the Baillie Gifford Prize live event from Cheltenham Literature Fest...
Read Smart: The 2023 Longlist
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, where two of our judges – Arifa Akbar and Ruth Scurr – will be delving into the 2023 longl...
James Shapiro - The Baillie Gifford Prize Winner of Winners
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast is dedicated to our Winner of Winners, James Shapiro, who won our 25th anniversary award two weeks ago to...
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners Shortlist - Patrick Radden Keefe
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast features Prize Director Toby Mundy speaking to Patrick Radden Keefe, who won the prize in 2021 with Empir...
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners Shortlist - Margaret MacMillan
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast features Razia Iqbal speaking to Margaret MacMillan, author of Paris 1919, formerly titled Peacemakers, a...
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners Shortlist - Wade Davis
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast features host Razia Iqbal speaking to Wade Davis, 2012 winner of The Baillie Gifford Prize, about Into Th...
Read Smart: The Winner of Winner's Shortlist - James Shapiro
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast continues our Winner of Winners series, where each of the shortlisted authors are interviewed. This wee...
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners Shortlist: Craig Brown
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast features host Razia Iqbal speaking to Craig Brown about his book One, Two, Three, Four: The Beatles in T...
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners shortlist – Barbara Demick
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast kicks off the first of our special Winners of Winners episodes, in which each of the shortlisted authors ...
The Winner Of Winners Shortlist
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On 9th March, the Baillie Gifford Prize announced the shortlist for its 25th anniversary Winner of Winners award, which will go to the book the judges...
Read Smart: A Quarter Century of the Prize, a 25th Anniversary Discussion
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to the latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast to discover more about the Prize’s history, and how the wider world of non-fiction has change...
Life Under Dictatorships with Michael Burleigh, Barbara Demick and Frank Dikötter
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Make sure you tune into the latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast, which explores what life is like in dictatorships across the world and throughou...
The 2022 Winner: Hear from Katherine Rundell
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the final Read Smart podcast episode of the year, where 2022 prize winner Katherine Rundell discusses her book Super-Infinite: The Transform...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Caroline Elkins (2022 Shortlist)
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Toby Mundy, director of the Baillie Gifford Prize and Caroline Elkins, author of the shortlisted book ‘Legacy of Violence’, for their discuss...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Jonathan Freedland (2022 Shortlist)
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Discover the Baillie Gifford Prize shortlist Toby Mundy, the prize’s director and Jonathan Freedland, author of ‘The Escape Artist’, which tells...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Polly Morland (2022 Shortlist)
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Find out more about the Baillie Gifford Prize shortlist with director of the prize Toby Mundy and Polly Morland, author of ‘A Fortunate Woman’, wh...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Sally Hayden (2022 Shortlist)
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the Baillie Gifford Prize 2022 shortlist on Read Smart, as prize director Toby Mundy talks to Sally Hayden about her book ‘My Fourth Time, W...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Anna Keay (2022 Shortlist)
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dive into the Baillie Gifford Prize shortlist with director of the prize Toby Mundy and Anna Keay, author of ‘The Restless Republic’, who talks ab...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Katherine Rundell (2022 Shortlist)
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast, where our host and director of the Baillie Gifford Prize Toby Mundy, will be joined by Katheri...
The 2022 Shortlist: Hear from judges Rachel Cooke and Georgina Godwin
14 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast, where our host Razia Iqbal will be joined by two members of our judging panel, Rachel Cooke an...
The 2022 Longlist: Hear from judges Caroline Sanderson, Laura Spinney and Samanth Subramanian
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast, is dedicated entirely to our much anticipated longlist. Host Razia Iqbal is joined by three members of o...
2022: Leadership Debate: The Political Biography with Sonia Purnell and John Rentoul
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On 5th September, the Conservative Party will announce the next leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party and the next Prime Minister of the Unite...
2022: George Floyd: Two Years On with Tomiwa Owolade and Olivette Otele
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, ‘George Floyd: Two Years On’ where writer and critic Tomiwa Owolade and Olivette Otele PhD...
2022: Money Talks with Vicky Pryce and Joan C Williams
13 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, ‘Money Talks’ where our host Shahidha Bari speaks to economist Vicky Pryce and legal schol...
2022: Ukraine: Lessons From History with Antony Beevor and Serhii Plokhii
25 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On 24th February, Russia invaded Ukraine. In the weeks since, we’ve heard horrifying tales of human rights abuses and families forced to flee their ...
2022: Food Writing with Bee Wilson and Tom Tivnan
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This month, our host Shahidha Bari is joined by food writer Bee Wilson and Tom Tivnan, managing editor of the Bookseller, to delve into the fascinatin...
2022 Publishing Predictions with Matthew Hennessey and Alexis Kirschbaum
28 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back for another season of Read Smart - the podcast that explores the world of non-fiction and provides you with some behind-the-scenes insigh...
The 2021 Winner: Hear from Patrick Radden Keefe (2021 Shortlist)
19 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Join us this week for the exciting winner episode, where our host Razia Iqbal speaks to the winner of this year’s prize, Patrick Radden Keefe about ...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Harald Jähner (2021 Shortlist)
06 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In our final shortlist episode of the Read Smart podcast, Harald Jähner, author of ‘Aftermath’ speaks to Toby Mundy about the tempestuous decade ...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Patrick Radden Keefe (2021 Shortlist)
05 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The next Baillie Gifford Prize shortlisted author on the Read Smart Podcast is Patrick Radden Keefe, who talks to Toby Mundy about the infamous legacy...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and John Preston (2021 Shortlist)
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to John Preston delve into his fascinatingly controversial book ‘Fall: The Mystery of Robert Maxwell’ with Toby Mundy in our Read Smart pod...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Kei Miller (2021 Shortlist)
03 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Next up on the Read Smart podcast is Kei Miller – shortlisted author of ‘Things I Have Withheld,’ who talks to Toby Mundy about the lyricism of ...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Lea Ypi (2021 Shortlist)
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Shortlisted Baillie Gifford Prize author Lea Ypi speaks to Toby Mundy about her book ‘Free: Coming of Age at the End of History,’ alongside the co...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Cal Flyn (2021 Shortlist)
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the run up to the Baillie Gifford Prize winner announcement, Toby Mundy is in conversation with our six shortlisted authors in our Read Smart Podca...
The 2021 Shortlist: Hear from Chair of Judges, Andrew Holgate, and more...
22 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our latest episode of the Read Smart podcast is out now. Join us this week for our shortlist episode, where we’re live from Cheltenham Literature ...
The 2021 Longlist: Hear from judges Dominic Sandbrook and Kathryn Hughes
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our latest episode of the Read Smart podcast is out now. Join us this week for our annual longlist episode. Our host Razia Iqbal is joined by two of...
2021: Publishing in America with James Daunt and Morgan Entrekin
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In our latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, host Toby Mundy is joined by founder of Daunt Books and managing director of Waterstones in the UK an...
2021: Sports Writing with Alyson Rudd and Boris Starling
04 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In our latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, host Razia Iqbal is joined by sports journalist Alyson Rudd and novelist Boris Starling. Together,...
2021: The Cutting Room Floor with Frances Wilson and Jasper Rees
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, host Razia Iqbal is joined by biographer and previous Baillie Gifford Prize judge Frances Wilson and writer Jasper Rees. Jasper and Frances...
2021: Writing Royal Biographies with Penny Juror and Craig Brown
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Read Smart Podcast join host Razia Iqbal in conversation with Biographer Penny Junor and 2020 Baillie Gifford prize winner Crai...
2021: Health 2021
26 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Books about health and the NHS have proved popular in the last few years, but in light of the events of last year and the ongoing effects of the Covi...
2021: The Art of Political Biography
12 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're back with our host Razia Iqbal for a brand new season of the Read Smart podcast. This episode explores the art of political biography, reflectin...
The 2020 Winner: Hear from Craig Brown
27 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the Read Smart Baillie Gifford Prize 2020 winner episode! In this episode, podcast host Razia Iqbal is joined by winner Craig Brown. Toge...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Kate Summerscale (2020 Shortlist)
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the lead up to the winner announcement on the 24th November we'll be celebrating each of the shortlisted books in a weekly mini-cast episode. In t...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Amy Stanley (2020 Shortlist)
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the lead up to the winner announcement on the 24th November we'll be celebrating each of the shortlisted books in a weekly mini-cast episode. In t...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Christina Lamb (2020 Shortlist)
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the lead up to the winner announcement on the 24th November we'll be celebrating each of the shortlisted books in a weekly mini-cast episode. Tune...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Sudhir Hazareesingh (2020 Shortlist)
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the lead up to the winner announcement on the 24th November we'll be celebrating each of the shortlisted books in a weekly mini-cast episode. Tune...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Matthew Cobb (2020 Shortlist)
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the lead up to the winner announcement on the 24th November we'll be celebrating each of the shortlisted books in a weekly mini-cast episode. Tun...
In Conversation: Toby Mundy and Craig Brown (2020 Shortlist)
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the lead up to the winner announcement on the 24th November we'll be celebrating each of the shortlisted books in a weekly mini-cast episode. List...
The 2020 Shortlist: Hear from judges Martha Kearney, Simon Ings and Max Strasser
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the Read Smart shortlist episode! Host, BBC's Razia Iqbal explores each of the 6 shortlisted titles and authors with 2020 judges, BBC Radio...
The 2020 Longlist: Hear from judges Shahidha Bari, Leo Robson and Bee Wilson
14 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Read Smart, the 2020 longlist episode! BBC's Razia Iqbal explores each of the 13 titles and authors with 2020 judges, BBC presenter, profes...
2020: Winning and Writing History with Hallie Rubenhold and Stig Abell
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We’re excited to catch up with 2019 Baillie Gifford Prize winner Hallie Rubenhold and 2019 chair of judges Stig Abell. Hallie won with The Five: The...
2020: The Art of Biography
26 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Razia explores writing biographies with Baillie Gifford Prize alumni Lucy Hughes-Hallett (2013 winner), Sir Jonathan Bate (2015 shortlisted) and Willi...
2020: Artificial Intelligence with Simon Ings and Hannah Fry
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We look at the rise in use and popularity of Artificial Intelligence. Joining podcast host Razia Iqbal is British novelist, scientist and 2020 Baillie...
2020: Inside the World of Publishing with Andrew Holgate, Helen Conford and Georgina Laycock
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In episode 2, we’re joined by insiders from the publishing world to hear about trends in non-fiction and the world of books, and what we need in tim...
Read Smart Podcast Episode 1: Troublemakers and Freedom of Expression
28 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We’re excited to announce the new Read Smart Podcast. The show is hosted by BBC’s Razia Iqbal, produced by The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Ficti...
2019 Winner: Hear from Hallie Rubenhold
22 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to the final episode of our podcast featuring 2019 winner Hallie Rubenhold and chair of judges Stig Abell In this episode our podcast host, Raz...
The 2019 Shortlist: Hear from judges Dr Xand van Tulleken and Dr Myriam Francois
25 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this shortlist episode, our podcast host, Razia Iqbal, is joined by judges Dr Xand van Tulleken and Dr Myriam Francois to discuss the six chosen ti...
2019 Longlist: Hear from judges Stig Abell and Frances Wilson
18 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, our podcast host, Razia Iqbal, is joined by judges Stig Abell and Frances Wilson to talk about the twelve books that have made it ont...
2019: Helen MacDonald and Philip Hoare
26 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In episode three of our podcast, Helen Macdonald and Philip Hoare join host Razia Iqbal to discuss their prize-winning books, and Tom Tivnan looks at ...
2019: Antony Beevor and Margaret MacMillan
28 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the second episode of this series host Razia Iqbal meets up with prize winners Antony Beevor (Stalingrad, 1999) and Margaret MacMillan (Peacemakers...
2019: Philippe Sands and Anna Funder
26 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Episode one features a discussion with prize winners Philippe Sands (East West Street, 2016) and Anna Funder (Stasiland, 2004). With host Razia Iqbal,...
Read Smart Trailer
22 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the 21st anniversary of the prize, we have launched a new podcast generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. The new series...