Homepage Australian Book Industry Awards: 19 May 2016 newsroom

MAGDA SZUBANSKI WINS GOLD, A FIRST FOR TIM WINTON AND WORLD’S BEST BOOKSHOP GETS LOCAL NOD AT AUSTRALIAN BOOK INDUSTRY AWARDS

Announcement posted by Australian Book Industry Awards: 19 May 2016 19 May 2016

In an unprecedented honour for a first-time author, Magda Szubanski won the gold ABIA for Book of the Year after winning Biography Book of the Year for Reckoning: A Memoir at the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs). 
 
A veteran comedy writer and performer, Szubanski reveals her extraordinary story of self-discovery, from a suburban childhood haunted by the demons of her father’s espionage activities in wartime Poland, to the discovery of her sexuality along with the complex dramas of adulthood and the desire to uncover the truth about herself and her family.

Magda Szubanski is available immediately for interview, as are other ABIA Category winners.
 
In another exciting first, acclaimed novelist Tim Winton’s debut work of non-fiction, Island Home: a landscape memoir, won the ABIA for Non-fiction Book of the Year. Winton explores the way an Australian landscape has determined his ideas, his writing and his life.
 
A trifecta of firsts was complete when romance publisher Harlequin won their first ABIA with Rachael John’s The Patterson Girls winning General Fiction of the Year for her contemporary romance mystery novel about four sisters. Johns, an English teacher in WA, focuses on rural romance and has been a finalist in several Australian romance writing awards.
 
Andy Griffiths has once again won Book of the Year for Younger Readers with The 65-Storey Treehousewittily illustrated by Terry Denton.  Young Sydney writer Stephanie Bishop has cemented her status as a rising literary talent, by taking out Literary Fiction Book of the Year for The Other Side of the World.
 
Fresh from winning London Book Fair’s Best Bookstore in the World award, Melbourne’s Readings got a local recognition as Australia’s Best Independent Book Retailer of the Year.
 
Leading independent Allen and Unwin won Publisher of the Year .
 
Please see below for the complete list of ABIA winners.
Magda Szubanski is available immediately for interview, as are other ABIA Category winners.
 
For interviews, more information, footage and images, please contact House of Rusher
Emma Rusher  | T +61 0423 214 626 | E emma@houseofrusher.com
Julie Thomson | T +61 0427 723 198 | E julie@houseofrusher.com
 
ABIA BOOK AWARDS
 
Book of the Year - Gold ABIA Overall Winner
Reckoning: A Memoir (Magda Szubanski, Text Publishing)
 
Biography Book of the Year
Reckoning: A Memoir (Magda Szubanski, Text Publishing)
 
General Fiction Book of the Year
The Patterson Girls (Rachael Johns, Harlequin Enterprises)
 
General Non-fiction Book of the Year
Island Home (Tim Winton, Penguin Random House)
 
Illustrated Book of the Year
The Happy Cookbook (Lola Berry, Pan Macmillan)
 
International Book of the Year
Gut: the inside story of our body’s most under-rated organ (Giulia Enders, Scribe Publications)
 
Literary Fiction Book of the Year
The Other Side of the World  (Stephanie Bishop, Hachette Australia)
 
Matt Richell Award for New Writer
Salt Creek (Lucy Treloar, Pan Macmillan)
 
Book of the Year Older Children
Illuminae (Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, Allen & Unwin)
 
Book of the Year for Younger Children
The 65-Storey Treehouse (Andy Griffith, Pan Macmillan)
 
Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year
The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade (Davina Bell, Scribe Publications)
 
Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year
All Fall Down (Matthew Condon, University of Queensland Press)
 
Lloyd O’Neill Award
Brian Johns
 
The Lloyd O’Neill honour is for an individual who has made a significant, dedicated contribution to the development and reputation of the Australian Book Industry.
 
Pixie O’Harris Award
Jackie French
 
The Pixie O’Harris Award recognises distinguished and dedicated service to the development and reputation of Australian children’s books.
 
BUSINESS AWARDS          
2016 Small Publisher of the Year
NewSouth Books
 
2016 Publisher of the Year
Allen and Unwin
 
2016 Independent Book Retailer of the Year
Readings
 
2016 Book Industry Innovation Award
Quirky Kid
 
2016 National Book Retailer of the Year
Joint winner: Dymocks and Booktopia
 
 ABOUT THE 2016 ABIAS
7pm, Thursday 19 May at Art Gallery NSW, Sydney
 
The ABIAs acknowledge the best talent behind the books Australia loves – the best books, the best publishers and our best book retailers.
 
As the flagship event for the Australian book industry, the ABIAs showcase the talent and diversity of what is the 14th largest publishing industry in the world creating more than 7,000 new titles each year. 
 
Guest 2016 ABIA presenters including Richard Flanagan, Tom Keneally, Jonathan Franzen, Gloria Steinem and Jeanette Winterson joined host and comedian extraordinaire Kitty Flanagan on stage with over 500 guests from across the book industry attending.
 
The 2016 ABIAs feature books published between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015.
 
Keep up with the latest ABIA news at:
abiawards.com.au
#ABIAwards2016
Twitter @ABIA_Awards
Facebook ABIA Awards
 
ABOUT AUSTRALIAN READERS
Over 55 million books were sold in Australia in 2014 with 85% of Australians reading in their spare time once a week or more, for pleasure, relaxation, and escape.
 
ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN BOOK INDUSTRY
Australians spend $2.3 billion on books on average per annum with export titles delivering an additional $225 million revenue from the book sector. More than 1,000 businesses are engaged in the publishing industry, employing over 4,000 people, many in small enterprises. Over 20,000 people work in the broader industry that includes retailers and printers.