LONDON (AP) 鈥� Books about Britain鈥檚 imperial past and the human face of the present-day refugee crisis are among the finalists for Britain鈥檚 leading nonfiction book award, the Baillie Gifford Prize.
The shortlist announced Monday includes Harvard professor Caroline Elkins鈥� hard-hitting 鈥淟egacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire鈥� and Irish journalist Sally Hayden鈥檚 鈥淢y Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World鈥檚 Deadliest Migration Route."
Four books by British writers are also among the finalists for the 50,000 pound ($55,000) prize.
They are Jonathan Freedland鈥檚 true Holocaust story 鈥淭he Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World;鈥� Anna Keay鈥檚 鈥淭he Restless Republic: Britain Without a Crown,鈥� which charts Britain鈥檚 brief period as a republic in the 17th century; Polly Morland鈥檚 鈥淎 Fortunate Woman: A Country Doctor鈥檚 Story;" and Katherine Rundell鈥檚 poetic biography 鈥淪uper-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne.鈥�
Journalist Caroline Sanderson, who is chairing the judging panel, said the six books 鈥渁re marvelously wide-ranging, in terms of setting, era, and the creative approaches on display. But however different the canvas, all have enthralling human stories at their heart.鈥�
The Baillie Gifford Prize recognizes English-language books from any country in current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography and the arts.
Last year鈥檚 winner was Patrick Radden Keefe鈥檚 鈥淓mpire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty,鈥� an expose of the family that helped unleash the United States鈥� opioid epidemic.
The winner of the 2022 prize will be announced on Nov. 17 at a ceremony in London.
The Associated Press
