Winners of the National Book Prize 2016

The National Book Council would like to announce the winners of the National Book Prize 2016: Books 2015. The official prize-giving ceremony took place on Friday the 2nd of December 2016 at Auberge de Castille. Participants in the Malta Book Prize were present alongside distinguished guests for official speeches by Hon. Minister of Education and Employment, Evarist Bartolo and the Executive Chairman of the National Book Council, Mr. Mark Camilleri. Certificates were handed out to all shortlisted authors and their publishers and winners in every category recieved a trophy, certificate and a €1000 prize.

The adjudication board for this year’s edition of the National Book Prize was composed of: Prof. Clare Vassallo, Mr Mario Ellul, Prof. Victor Mallia Milanes, Mr Andre’ Vella Laurenti, Mr Caldon Mercieca, Dr Josette Attard, Ms Justin Somerville, Ms Kristy Borg and Ms Ruth Ancilleri. Ms Cheryl Falzon and Ms Joanne Sciberras evaluated the books in their respective categories.

The Winners in every category are:

NOVELS IN MALTESE AND ENGLISH
Alex Vella Gera with Trojan (Klabb Kotba Maltin)

SHORT STORIES IN MALTESE AND ENGLISH
Trevor Zahra with Vespri (Merlin Publishers)

POETRY IN MALESE AND ENGLISH
Nadia Mifsud with Kantuniera ‘l Bogħod (Skarta)

TRANSLATION
Edmund Teuma with L-Iljieli Għarbin (BDL)

GENERAL RESEARCH
Gerald Bugeja with Antonio Sciortino, The Lost Album (Kite Group)

HISTORIOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
Keith Sciberras with Caravaggio to Mattia Preti: Baroque Painting in Malta (Midsea Books)

and

Paul George Pisani with The Battle of Lepanto: An Unpublished Hospitaller Account (Salesians of Don Bosco)

PRIZE FOR THE BEST BOOK PRODUCTION FOR 2015
Birdlife Malta for History of Ornithology in Malta
SPECIAL NOMINATION IN THE ‘POETRY IN MALTESE AND ENGLISH’ CATEGORY
Victor Fenech for the publication Doreen Micallef: il-Poeżija, il-Konferenza (L-Akkademja tal-Malti and Klabb Kotba Maltin)

PRIZE FOR EMERGENT WRITER 2015
Leanne Ellul

LIFETIME ACHIEVMENT AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO MALTESE LITERATURE
Mario Azzopardi