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Costa Book Awards 2013

The 2013 Costa Book Awards went to The Pike: Gabriele d'Annunzio, Poet, Seducer and Preacher of War by Lucy Hughes-Hallett (Biography), The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer (Book of the Year) and Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Riddell (Children's), with winners in 3 more categories. 21 books made the shortlist across 6 categories.

Winners

Biography

  1. The Pike: Gabriele d'Annunzio, Poet, Seducer and Preacher of War by Lucy Hughes-Hallettsource (opens in a new tab)

Book of the Year

  1. The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filersource (opens in a new tab)

Children's

  1. Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Riddellsource (opens in a new tab)

First Novel

  1. The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filersource (opens in a new tab)

Novel

  1. Life After Life by Kate Atkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Drysalter by Michael Symmons Robertssource (opens in a new tab)

Shortlist

Biography

  1. Empire Antarctica: Ice, Silence and Emperor Penguins by Gavin Francissource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hanns and Rudolf: The German Jew and the Hunt for the Kommandant of Auschwitz by Thomas Hardingsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Trip to Echo Spring: Why Writers Drink by Olivia Laingsource (opens in a new tab)

Children's

  1. Alex, the Dog and the Unopenable Door by Ross Montgomerysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Weinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Hanged Man Rises by Sarah Naughtonsource (opens in a new tab)

First Novel

  1. Idiopathy by Sam Byerssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Marriage Material by Sathnam Sangherasource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Meeting the English by Kate Clanchysource (opens in a new tab)

Novel

  1. All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyldsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrellsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Unexpected Lessons in Love by Bernardine Bishopsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Dante: The Divine Comedy by Clive Jamessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Division Street by Helen Mortsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Hill of Doors by Robin Robertsonsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Costa Book Awards

Whitbread Book Awards until 2005; Costa from 2006. The awards ended after 2021. Sources: web.archive.org snapshots of official costa.co.uk pages only - past-shortlists PDFs (2018 and 2022 editions), past-winners-2019-end PDF, and the behind-the-beans/costa-book-awards/book-awards page (2020 winners, 2021 shortlists, winners and Book of the Year). Wikipedia used only as a cross-check. The 2010 Biography shortlist had 3 books, not 4. No category was missing or merged in 2006-2021.

Organization: Costa Coffee. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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