2024 Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction Longlist | Exploring & Reacting

[@WillSaabye-ey5vy]

Thanks so much for your channel!!! I am just getting into non fiction and your recommendations are great and cant wait to read them!!! Keep up the good work!!!❤❤❤

[@verapavlova9470]

Nuclear War was amazing! It reads like a thriller. Hands down the best nonfiction book I've read this year (and I've read quite a few).

[@abookolive]

That's great to know! Just wondering if it kept you up at night 😶

[@verapavlova9470]

Actually, no. I guess knowing more about this stuff makes me less anxious. I think I would have a harder time with The Story of a Heart.

[@bookishlychelle9434]

Easily the most terrifying book I've read in a good while.

[@-HRH]

If you think I didn't notice the purple eyeshadow matching the Baillie G colourway you're very much mistaken, missy. Loved this video! 🥰

[@awebofstories]

Thank you for this rundown! A few of these really stood out to me (especially the one about the ocean), so I'll see how easily I can get a copy of those.

[@siobhanpetracca8627]

Your eyeshadow looks so pretty!

[@abookolive]

Thank you! Had to go with purple since that's the Baillie Gifford color, haha!

[@ECody6476]

I had to pause and order The Story of a Heart. It sounds like it will be an emotional and beautiful book to read.

[@HaKimChinh]

this video format suits me a lot

[@bethloubet4650]

Most of these would be tough to read, for sure. I'm glad I'm reading for the non-fiction finals of the Booktube Prize. Still not easy reading, but, I think, a better variety. King: A Life, How to Say Babylon, The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean, We Were Once a Family, Master Slave Husband Wife, and Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution.

[@arobinreads]

Going to check out this prize, had not heard about it

[@HannahsBooks]

Rachel Clarke’s book Dear Life (about hospice and the end of life) is wonderful-moving and beautifully written. I am eager to read her new one!

[@Maryjane022]

Those are amazing!! I'll definitely check one of those books 😊 thanks for this goodies 🤭😍📚

[@MilenaReads]

I remember my dad reading Revolusi when it came out in Dutch and he thought is was really good. Thanks for this video!

[@renee1292]

Thank you for doing this! I was not familiar with this award.

[@Evalynn]

As both a bookseller and wife to an Indonesian American, I am very excited to see Revolusi on this list. ❤ 🇮🇩 You reminded me to pre-order a paperback copy.

[@getbookish]

The Story of a Heart stands out to me as well. Medical nonfiction is one of my favorite sub-genres now and although it may make me cry, I think I need to read it. -Becks

[@abookolive]

I just ordered it - let me know if you'd like to read it together in the future! 💞

[@getbookish]

Oh yeah, that would be fun! (in a “this book is making me emotional because the story is so moving” way)

[@coffemuse]

I have Question 7 on my shelf and I'm so glad it's got some prize notice despite being genre-defying! I agree on the whole about the list being just so heavy... but the Baillie Gifford and the new Women's Prize for Nonfiction are the most interesting prizes by far to me, I just love seeing the range of topics that get covered.

[@douglassasser4731]

Annie Jacobsen book on Area 51 is very good. She cuts through the conspiracy theories to reveal how a top secret military base operated.

[@HoangHuuNhat]

awesome!!

[@solrm122]

Even though the Book Depository is not around, you can still get UK covers at an affordable prize with delivery included from Blackwells! Get thee that beautiful book cover!

[@abookolive]

BLESS YOU

[@stpetersburg64]

Thank you,Melting Point seems very interesting. I just found and listened to a podcast (History Extra) where the author is interviewed. And I ordered the book from Blackwells.

[@kathleenewing3673]

Judgment at Tokyo and The Melting Pot are the ones I'd like.

[@ireallyamjomarch]

I always use Blackwell’s to get British books/covers or even paperbacks that aren’t out in the US yet.

[@abookolive]

Just placed my first order with them after getting a few comments about them delivering to the US! Can't wait to hold that gorgeous copy of The Story of a Heart in my hands 🥰

[@deathbychai]

Haven't read any yet - but borrowed Everyone Who Is Gone is Here and have been eyeing What the WIld Sea Can Be. Also into the purple eyeshadow to match the prize :)

[@hasteyebooks]

Another prize I missed this season! The longlist (and now shortlist) looks a bit dry actually, not sure anything captures my curiosity. Really appreciate a look at the list through your eyes :)

[@brandyfox6168]

Cannot wait to get my hands on Revolusi 🙌

[@cay6857]

I made it half way through the prologue of Nuclear War and couldn’t read any farther. I’m not in anywhere near the right headspace to read this now. I’m going to revisit it in a few months.

[@launchedathousand]

I don't think any of them I will ever read sadly but I'll be interested to see which ones make the short list and which one wins.

[@lilliann3813]

Olive, you echoed my sentiments exactly: Interesting subject but really heavy topics. Judgement at Tokyo seems interesting and I don't think a WWII book ever misses on this list but 800 pages? Definitely parked for someday. I think my priorities from this list would Rebel's Clinic, A Man of Two Faces and Revolusi-I am pretty new to Indonesia's independence movement.

[@DrugiTâmQuốc]

full support

[@GregHarness]

I've only heard of about five of these and have read none. They all sound interesting enough to read, but I like you might put a bunch of these on the sometime-later list.. "Knife" is quite appealing to me as is the Helen Scales. Thank you, Olive.

[@TimeTravelReads]

These books sound really interesting. There's a book that isn't on this list that is a new release and I just want to mention it. The Making of the Presidency by Lindsay Chervinsky is about the presidency of John Adams.

[@rebeccamolyneux4532]

I read Knife a few months ago and rated it 5 ⭐️. I hadn’t read any of his books, and found it wasn’t necessary.

[@booklover7019]

I read Knife and Nuclear War. Both are excellent!

[@patrickshea9392]

Just finished Nuclear War, highly recommend, couldn't put it down

[@socaltoobie8984]

Glad to hear this and see (so far) this is the second comment recommending this book. My non-fiction reads have been very neglected this year. Will put this on the TBR!

[@bookling_of_bohemia]

Wanted to tell you about Blackwell´s but I see somebody has already beaten me to it :D

[@janethansen9612]

Richard Flanagan is an excellent writer, and as an Aussie I feel like I need to pick up Question 7. Back when people were predicting their Booker longlists his name did pop up a couple of times, so perhaps it reads like fiction? Also interested in Knife.

[@dejagreen2246]

In the future I would be interested in “Knife” and “Story of a Heart.” Like you, I’m a little underwhelmed of the selection this year…even though all these authors put in millions of hours of work. I hope each one of these titles find the best readers for them.

[@erinh7450]

A Man of Two Faces is the only one I've already read, which I read because I *loved* The Sympathizer, which I do think you should read first. He's very snarky; the ironic tone was part of what I loved about the novel, it's more bald-faced in the memoir. Of the other books, I'm most curious about Revolusi (his Congo book is also on my shortlist TBR, so will probably try to get to that first), and Melting Point (though I hadn't realized it wasn't narrative, hmmm). And I've got a book group that looks like it might pick up Question 7, and it's short, so might well give that one a go! Looking at the other comments, so much praise for the Nuclear War book, but like you I'm not sure I'm ready for the nightmares! Having grown up during the Cold War, I spent decades of my life having nightmares about that scenario and don't think I want them back!

[@wendyvilla2904]

🖤💚

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

I remember Richard Flanagan being interviewed about The Narrow Road To The Deep North. He lives in Tasmania. Also the background for Robbie Arnott.

[@caroltanzi29]

Olive: all the books seem to be heavy-handed. I’m not too sure I’m ready for any of them at this time. I’ll keep watch and see how I feel about them again soon. Carol from California.

[@LouiseReader]

Thanks for thinking out loud with us in the room, I hadn't seen this long list, so was happy to see you cover it. I'm most interested in The Story of a Heart, and Question 7. Both are already on my TBR. I figure I will get to Knife at some stage, but would plan on borrowing it from my library. Does Blackwells ship free to America? They do to Australia, so figure they would. Also there is an independent Irish bookshop called Kenny's, they have very small shipping charges.

[@booksandbags]

Blackwell’s ships free to the US. I use them often.

[@WelcometotheMuseum]

It’s surreal to write yet another book about Paul Gaugin when we have so little books on the life of Berthe Morisot. It is even more surreal to see this book nominated. Even if the author has done a great research, and even if she writes eloquently, even if she criticizes Gauguin in this book, why can’t we expose more women artists instead of ruminating the same old stories? 😔 Thanks for the video! Never heard of this prize. I will definitely order Judgment at Tokyo when it’s out.

[@abookolive]

I feel you on this! I see new biographies coming out on the same old dudes time and time again when cool, lesser-known women don't get the attention they deserve. I'm STILL waiting on a chunky biography on Empress Elizabeth of Russia - PETER THE GREAT'S ACTUAL DAUGHTER. I'm probably just going to have to write it 😅

[@WelcometotheMuseum]

@@abookolive wow, that would be grand! You should do that 😉

[@HoàiGiaYến]

finally

[@LeeKempter]

Olive, I had never heard of this prize before and it is absolutely up my alley when it comes to reading. Is there a way to volunteer to be a reader for them? I will go out to their website and see what I can find because I would truly like to participate!! Lee

[@jorjastonej]

This BG LL might be packed with great books and authors, but I’m not compelled to read any of them at this time. 😢

[@ashleyhobgood7454]

I'm interested in reading Melting Pint by Rachel Cockerell. It is a topic I'm not familiar with and would like to read more about.

[@annegibson6072]

I have read Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen. Yes it was horrific but a necessary book

[@jillbellaus385]

Every American should read Nuclear War

[@MrRosebeing]

I would say I've heard of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction...but that would be...well...fiction. Glad there is a prize for non-fiction, though.

[@tawallah77]

Based on the descriptions these are the ones that grab my interest : Where the Wild Seas The Rebel’s Clinic Judgement at Tokyo and Revolusi - some day Think I’ll check their backlist prize winners and nominees.

[@sandyokey7728]

My eyes are tearing up just hearing about The Story of a Heart. It sounds incredible. Before you said it, I was thinking Nuclear War sounds terrifying. I don’t know if I can handle it, but I am truly interested in it.

[@spexi513]

📖 🪱 💚

[@bouquinsbooks]

Judgement at Tokyo is also longlisted for the Cundill Prize for history. There are about 200 pages of end matter. But the pages are rather full so it’s still a long 600 pages. My reaction when I hear “genre defying”: 🤢. Not thank you, not for me. Nuclear war: can it be nonfiction if the scenario is purely speculative? 🤔 Revolusi is the one that interests me the most. I have the author’s book on Congo. I haven’t finished this one yet, but the beginning is awesome. Very readable. Revolusi is also on the longlist for the Cundill prize.

[@abookolive]

There's a lot of crossover with the Cundill this year! Re: Nuclear War, I think she likely discusses procedures that are in place that would be followed if an attack happened. So although it is speculative, it's also highly likely things would unfold in a certain way.

[@RachelB.BookReferences]

These all sound boring as all get out to me, lol. And I read plenty of nonfiction, including more academic works. 🤷🏽‍♀️