The future of British and Irish literature is being shaped by a new wave of innovative voices. The reveal of the shortlist for the 2025 Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award sends a bold message: the upcoming generation is actively engaged in breaking down societal and political barriers rather than being consumed by digital distractions.
For over three decades, this prestigious award has been a beacon for identifying influential voices in our cultural landscape, with a prestigious alumni list including renowned figures like Zadie Smith, Sarah Waters, and Caryl Phillips.
The tradition of recognizing outstanding talent continues with a shortlist characterized by its profound empathy and willingness to confront the uncomfortable realities of our world.
Johanna Thomas-Corr, the esteemed chief literary critic for The Times and Sunday Times, who also chairs the 2025 jury, lauded the selected works as outward-looking and deeply concerned with societal issues and our interconnected responsibilities.
The judging panel, comprising influential cultural figures such as Caleb Femi, Esther Freud, Graham Norton, Sathnam Sanghera, and Lea Ypi, emphasized storytelling that fosters unity and challenges prevailing norms, offering a countermeasure to the digital age’s isolation.
The four contenders competing for the £10,000 prize offer diverse perspectives. Ben Brooks presents “The Greatest Possible Good,” a humorous family saga exploring the essence of goodness in a chaotic contemporary world.
In her debut novel “Saraswati,” Gurnaik Johal takes readers on a global adventure as a protagonist uncovers a lost river in Northern India, unveiling the unseen connections that bind us across borders.
The enigmatic author Liadan Ní Chuinn’s “Every One Still Here” delves into the enduring trauma of post-conflict Northern Ireland through a collection of short stories, choosing anonymity to amplify the collective impact of history over individual identities.
Harry Shukman’s “Year of the Rat” stands out as a daring piece of investigative non-fiction, recounting his undercover infiltration of far-right groups in the UK, a crucial work in an era marked by rising extremism.
The winner will be determined at the Barbican Centre on March 23, where Booker Prize laureate Bernardine Evaristo will lead a discussion with the finalists, aiming to extend these groundbreaking narratives to young audiences through the Young Barbican program.
The climax of the event will unfold on March 24 at the Whitechapel Gallery, where one of these bold authors will be crowned the victor in the vibrant and diverse landscape of London’s East End, securing their position among a lineage of exceptional writers.
