The Encore Award
The Encore Award was first presented in 1990 to celebrate the achievement of outstanding second novels. The Award fills a niche in the catalogue of literary prizes. The RSL has administrated the award since 2016.
The Encore Award 2021
The 2021 Award is now closed for entries. The shortlist and winner will be announced in late spring.
This year’s judges are Sian Cain, Nikita Lalwani and Paul Muldoon.
The Winner 2020
The winner of the 2020 Encore Award was Patrick McGuinness with Throw Me to the Wolves (Jonathan Cape). This was the 30th year of the Award.
The judges were RSL Fellows: Edmund Gordon, Nikita Lalwani and Eley Williams.
Please read the press release for further information.
Other books on the 2020 Shortlist were:
- David Keenan – For the Good Times (Faber & Faber)
- Billy O’Callaghan – My Coney Island Baby (Jonathan Cape)
- Shiromi Pinto – Plastic Emotions (Influx Press)
- Luiza Sauma – Everything You Ever Wanted (Viking)
Press enquiries should be sent to Annette Brook, Communications Manager, [email protected].
For questions about awards and prizes, please contact Martha Stenhouse, General Manager, [email protected].
Watch the 2020 winner announcement below:
In celebration of the 30th year of the Award previous winners share their reflections on winning best second novel:
Past Awards
*Joint winners
| 2019 | Sally Rooney | Normal People |
| 2018* | Andrew Michael Hurley Lisa McInerney |
Devil’s Day The Blood Miracles |
| 2017 | Ian McGuire | The North Water |
| 2015 | Sunjeev Sahota | The Year of the Runaways |
| 2014 | Neel Mukherjee | The Lives of Others |
| 2013 | Evie Wyld | All the Birds, Singing |
| 2012 | Ned Beauman | The Teleportation Accident |
| 2011 | Joe Dunthorne | Wild Abandon |
| 2010 | Adam Foulds | The Quickening Maze |
| 2009 | Julia Leigh | Disquiet |
| 2007 | M.J. Hyland | Carry Me Down |
| 2005 | Nadeem Aslam | Maps for Lost Lovers |
| 2004 | Michelle de Kretser | The Hamilton Case |
| 2003 | Jeremy Gavron | The Book of Israel |
| 2002 | Ali Smith | Hotel World |
| 2001 | Anne Enright | What Are You Like? |
| 2000* | John Burnside Claire Messud Matt Thorne Phil Whitaker |
The Mercy Boys The Last Life Eight Minutes Idle Triangulation |
| 1999 | Christina Koning | Undiscovered Country |
| 1998* | Alan Warner Timothy O’Grady |
These Demented Lands I could Read the Sky |
| 1997 | David Flusfeder | Like Plastic |
| 1996 | A.L. Kennedy | So I Am Glad |
| 1995 | Dermot Healy | A Goat’s Song |
| 1994 | Amit Chaudhuri | Afternoon Raag |
| 1993 | Colm Tóibín | The Heather Blazing |
| 1992 | Iain Sinclair | Downriver |
| 1991 | Carey Harrison | Richard’s Feet |
| 1990* | Paul Watkins Peter Benson |
Calm at Sunset, Calm at Dawn A Lesser Dependency |
