Shortlist for the James Cropper Wainwright 10th Anniversary Prize Announced

By LoveReading | 10th August 2023

Less than a month ago, the longlists for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2023 were announced. In the longlists we saw that for the first time in the prize's history women dominated all three of the longlists - the Prize for Nature Writing, the Prize for Writing on Conservation and the Prize for Children's Writing.

Today, the 10th August, the shortlists for the 10th Anniversary of the James Cropper Wainwright Prize has been announced and dominated by the topic of the climate crisis. Authors in all three shortlists call for urgent action, radical solutions and celebrate the healing power of the natural world.

The prizes, named after nature writer Alfred Wainwright are awarded to those books that the judges feel best reflect Wainwright's core values and celebrates nature and our natural environment, nurturing respect for our planet, or warning of the dangers to it across the globe. In honour of the 10th Anniversary of the prize, the prize pot has been increased, with winning authors receiving a share of £10,000.

This year's shortlists see works from independent publishers celebrated and established nature writers being joined by acclaimed new voices.

The 2023 James Cropper Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing judging panel is chaired this year by TV presenter Ray Mears. The chair for the prize for Writing on Conservation is CEO of The Wildlife Trusts, Craig Bennett. National Trust's Communication and Campaign Director, Mark Funnell chairs the Prize for Children’s Writing on Nature and Conservation judges.

Speaking about the prize, Chairman of headline sponsers James Cropper and judge for the Writing on Conservation Prize, Mark Cropper says: “The James Cropper Wainwright Prize and its authors and books are all about trying to open peoples’ eyes to what’s happening in the world. Stories shared range from the wondrous to the deeply concerning and often back again, as solutions to many of our deepest challenges are explored.”

The winners of all three categories are to be announced live on the 14th September at the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 10th Anniversary Celebration which will be held in partnership with the Kendal Mountain Festival. For the first time ever the prize is open to the public to watch the winners be announced live. Tickets can be found at: tickets.kendalmountainfestival.com

The shortlisted books are:

Nature Writing