Winner Announced

Christopher Reid's poetry collection A Scattering has been named as the Costa Book of the Year. The book is a tribute to his wife Lucinda Gane following her death in 2005, consisting of four poetic sequences, the first written during her illness and the other three at intervals after her death.

The Awards recognise some of the most enjoyable and entertaining books of the year by writers based in the UK and Ireland. Now in their 38th year, the Awards are unique in that five seperate categories are recognised: First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book.

Reid triumphed over competition from his fellow shortlisted finalists including the bookmaker's favourite Colm Tóibín (Brooklyn) and Graham Farmelo (The Strangest Man) to receive the overall prize and a cheque for £30,000.

Josephine Hart, chair of the judges, said:

"Out of a personal tragedy, Christopher Reid has written a masterwork which has universal power. Austere, beautiful and moving - we all felt this was a book we would want everyone to read. Packed full of unforgettable lines - A Scattering is a remarkable piece."

Book of the Year Winner:

		A Scattering Christopher Reid £7.99 Add to basket

Category Shortlists (Category winners in CAPS)

Costa First Novel Award

The Finest Type of English Womanhood by Rachel Heath
John the Revelator by Peter Murphy
BEAUTY by RAPHAEL SELBOURNE
The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw

Costa Novel Award

Family Album by Penelope Lively
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson
BROOKLYN by COLM TÓIBÍN

Costa Biography Award

THE STRANGEST MAN by GRAHAM FARMELO
The Music Room by William Fiennes
Coda by Simon Gray
Dancing to the Precipice by Caroline Moorehead

Costa Poetry Award

Angels Over Elsinore by Clive James
One Eye'd Leigh by Katharine Kilalea
Darwin by Ruth Padel
A SCATTERING by CHRISTOPHER REID

Costa Children's Book Award

Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd
Troubadour by Mary Hoffman
THE ASK AND THE ANSWER by PATRICK NESS
Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera

About the Costa Book Awards

The Costa Book awards are currently in their 38th year. Started in 1971 as the Whitbread Literary Awards, they progressed to become the Whitbread Book Awards in 1985. It wasn't until 2006 that Costa Coffee took up the sponsorship.

The awards have been won by books and authors from a wide range of genres. Since the introduction of the Book of the Year Award in 1985, it has been won seven times by a novel, three times by a first novel, five times by a biography, five times by a collection of poetry and once by a children's book. Last year's Book of the Year was awarded to Irish author Sebastian Barry for his novel The Secret Scripture.