The Women's Prize for Fiction is a hugely well-regarded prize, known for promoting and celebrating the very best of women's writing. Following some research which showed a clear inequality between the treatment of men and women's non-fiction, the charity made the decision that a non-fiction prize was equally needed and in 2024 launched the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. The inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction in 2024 was won by Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein.
Now it's time to announced the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction shortlist which contains a real breadth of styles, including personal memoir, nature writing and innovative history books.
That shortlist was chosen by a panel of judges which included journalist, author and broadcaster Kavita Puri; writer and broadcaster Dr Leah Broad; novelist and critic Elizabeth Buchan; writer and environmental academic Dr Elizabeth-Jane Burnett; and author and writer of The Hyphen newsletter on Substack, Emma Gannon.
"It's an absolute pleasure to announce six books on our 2025 shortlist from across genres, that are united by an unforgettable voice, rigour, and unique insight," said Kavita Puri, Chair of Judges. "Included in our list are narratives that honour the natural world and its bond with humanity, meticulously researched stories of women challenging power, and books that illuminate complex subjects with authority, nuance and originality.
"These books will stay with you long after they have been read, for their outstanding prose, craftsmanship, and what they reveal about the human condition and our world. It was such a joy to embrace such an eclectic mix of narratives by such insightful women writers – we are thrilled and immensely proud of our final shortlist."
The Women's Prize for Non-Fiction 2025 shortlist
*A Thousand Threads by Neneh Cherry
*The Story of A Heart by Rachel Clarke
*Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton
*Agent Zo: The Untold Stories of Fearless WW2 Resistance Fighter Elżbieta Zawacka by Clare Mulley
*What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World's Ocean by Helen Scales
*Private Revolutions: Coming of Age in a New China by Yuan Yang
The Women's Prize for Non-Fiction winner on 12 June. The winner will receive a cheque for £30,000 and a limited-edition artwork known as the ‘Charlotte’, both gifted by the Charlotte Aitken Trust.
