LIVE FROM 7PM
The biggest night on New Zealand’s literary calendar is here. The 2023 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards take place in Tāmaki Makaurau this evening but, if you can’t make it to the in-person ceremony at Auckland’s Aotea Centre, you can watch the entire ceremony right here on nzherald.co.nz.
The ceremony starts at 7pm tonight and it is the first event to kick off the Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki, the largest annual literary festival in Aotearoa New Zealand since 1999.
The Ockham NZ Book Awards are the country’s premier literary honours for books written by New Zealanders.
The shortlisted finalists were announced in March. Among the shortlist are commercial successes and critically-acclaimed works including former Ockham winner Catherine Chidgey’s novel The Axeman’s Carnival, Dr Monty Soutar’s Kāwai, and Noelle McCarthy’s Grand.
The winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction will receive $64,000. Each winner of the other main category will receive $12,000. Each of the Best First Book winners, for fiction, poetry, general non-fiction and illustrated non-fiction, will be awarded $3000.
New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa spokesperson Jenna Todd says this year’s shortlist is a treasure trove to celebrate.
“There is not one dominating publisher this year, with a range of 12 publishers shortlisted across 16 titles,” she said.
“Many of these books, across all categories, delve deeply into strong personal narratives. They offer tales of tension, distrust and revenge, treating readers to vivid explorations of aspects of Aotearoa’s history.
“Subjects and characters are treated with the utmost of care, critical thought, and examination.
“This group of writers, both venerated and emerging, steers you towards laughter, wonder and new knowledge,” Todd added.
Past winners include Becky Manawatu, Whiti Hereaka, Fiona Kidman, Charlotte Grimshaw, Patricia Grace, and Eleanor Catton, among others.
The ceremony begins at 7PM and you can watch the livestream in the video above.
The 2023 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards shortlisted titles are:
*represents debut authors
Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction
Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry
Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction
General Non-Fiction Award