Literary excellence celebrated at Nib Awards night

Last night at the Nib Awards ceremony, Melissa Lucashenko took home the 2024 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award for her novel Edenglassie (UQP), along with the generous $40,000 prize.

In her speech on the night, Waverley Deputy Mayor Cr Keri Spooner praised all of the winners on the very high standard of the work.

The winning book was chosen from 175 nominations by a panel of esteemed judges: publisher Julia Carlomagno, poet Jamie Grant, and author and educator Angela Meyer.

Ms Carlomagno had high praise for Edenglassie, calling it a “brilliant novel” with prose that "sparks with electricity," and characters that stay with readers long after they’ve finished the book.

The ceremony at the Bondi Pavilion also saw singer-songwriter Deborah Conway awarded the $4,000 Nib People’s Choice Prize for her candid memoir, Book of Life. Both Lucashenko and Conway received the $1,500 Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize, along with other finalists: Reaching Through Time by Shauna Bostock, Donald Horne by Ryan Cropp, Wifedom by Anna Funder, and What the Tree See by Dave Witty.

Now in its 23rd year, the Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award continues to be one of the country’s most prestigious and valuable book prizes, recognizing the best of Australian research-based literature.

The Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award is administered by Waverley Council with the generous support of Principal Sponsors Mark and Evette Moran, and the ongoing commitment of community partner Gertrude and Alice Bookshop and Café.

2024 PRIZE WINNERS

2024 Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award Winner ($40,000)

Nib People’s Choice Prize ($4,000)

Finalists – Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize ($1,500)

-ENDS-