1985 Whitbread Awards

The Whitbread Awards (since 2006 called the Costa Book Awards) are among the United Kingdom's most prestigious literary awards. They were launched in 1971, are given both for high literary merit but also for works that are enjoyable reading and whose aim is to convey the enjoyment of reading to the widest possible audience. This page gives details of the awards given in 1985.

Book of the Year

Douglas Dunn, Elegies

Children's Book

Winner:

• Janni Howker, The Nature of the Beast

First Novel

Winner:

• Jeanette Winterson, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Novel

Winner:

• Peter Ackroyd, Hawksmoor

Biography

Winners:

• Ben Pimlott, Hugh Dalton

Poetry

Winners:

• Douglas Dunn, Elegies

References

• Previous winners