RSL Ondaatje Prize
An annual award of £10,000 for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place
About the Prize
The RSL Ondaatje Prize is an annual award of £10,000 for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place.
How to Apply
Books may be entered only by trade publishers based in the UK or Republic of Ireland. Each publisher, or imprint of a publisher, may enter one book only and up to three call-in titles. Authors may not enter themselves.
The closing date for submissions is Friday 6 November 2026 at 5pm.
Potential applicants should review the eligibility criteria. Applications must be made through the online form below. To help with planning and accessibility, the application questions are available for viewing before you fill out the online form.
History
First awarded in 2004, the premise and broad remit of the Prize creates unique lists of outstanding works and authors that you would not usually find sitting side by side. We are grateful to Sir Christopher Ondaatje for sponsoring the Prize.
Past Winners
| 2026 | Diana McCaulay | A House for Miss Pauline |
| 2025 | Carys Davies | Clear |
| 2024 | Ian Penman | Fassbinder Thousands Of Mirrors |
| 2023 | Anthony Anaxagorou | Heritage Aesthetics |
| 2022 | Lea Ypi | Free |
| 2021 | Ruth Gilligan | The Butchers |
| 2020 | Roger Robinson | A Portable Paradise |
| 2019 | Aida Edemariam | The Wife’s Tale: A Personal History |
| 2018 | Pascale Petit | Mama Amazonica |
| 2017 | Francis Spufford | Golden Hill |
| 2016 | Peter Pomerantsev | Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible |
| 2015 | Justin Marozzi | Baghdad: City of Peace, City of Blood |
| 2014 | Alan Johnson | This Boy |
| 2013 | Philip Hensher | Scenes from Early Life |
| 2012 | Rahul Bhattacharya | The Sly Company of People Who Care |
| 2011 | Edmund de Waal | The Hare with Amber Eyes |
| 2010 | Ian Thomson | The Dead Yard: Tales of Modern Jamaica |
| 2009 | Adam Nicolson | Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History |
| 2008 | Graham Robb | The Discovery of France |
| 2007 | Hisham Matar | In the Country of Men |
| 2006 | James Meek | The People’s Act of Love |
| 2005 | Rory Stewart | The Places In Between |
| 2004 | Louisa Waugh | Hearing Birds Fly |
More from Awards and Prizes
Become a Member
Our Members are champions of literature. Their support makes our engagement work in schools and prisons possible and they enable us to celebrate literature in all its wonderful diversity. As a thank you, we give them all the joys of a literary festival and book club rolled into one, all year round.