2026 Non-Fiction Book Award Shortlist

Jennifer Layman is the author of two entrepreneurial books: Forward Thinking for Your Business and Forward Thinking for Future Entrepreneurs. Both

We are Juliet and Matthew Maguire, a husband-and-wife team, living and working in London, with a strong connection to the world of journalism. We’ve

Elizabeth Jean Braun is the author of The Rhythm of Grief: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Learning to Breathe Again. A retired firefighter/paramedic and

Ryan MacDonald is a Scottish author and freelance crime and justice journalist. A former senior police officer with three decades of experience across

Kerstin Decook is a bestselling author, speaker, and certified professional coach who helps people break free from the invisible barriers that keep

Larry Robertson is an innovation advisor who works, writes, and guides at the nexus of creativity, entrepreneurship, leadership—and great questions

Matteo Romano is a Brazilian-Italian journalist based in Spain. He worked as a correspondent for major magazines in Rio and Brasilia. Later, he was an

Jeza Belle is a drag queen, comedian, and multiple award-winning author whose work spans gritty realism, humor, and overlooked histories. A 2026

Anita Selzer is an acclaimed author of fifteen books in adult and children’s non-fiction, including the first volume of The Female Gaze in Art and

Natasha Ickes is a resilience strategist, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate with a background in psychology and community-centered leadership

Max is a multi-award winning disability and LGBTQIA+ activist, who was recognised in 2024 as the UK’s most influential disabled scientist. They talk