| 1972 |
3rd: Smith's dream C. K. Stead |
| 1973 |
1st: Strangers and journeys Maurice Shadbolt. 2nd: Daughter buffalo Janet Frame. 3rd: Pounamu, pounamu Witi Ihimaera |
| 1974 |
1st: Tangi Witi Ihimaera |
| 1975 |
2nd: Maori woman Noel Hilliard |
| Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Award | New Zealand Book Awards (Fiction category winners) |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1976 |
2nd: A soldier's tale M. K. Joseph |
A glorious morning, comrade Maurice Gee. Selected stories O. E. Middleton |
| 1977 |
|
Dick Seddon's great dive Ian Wedde |
| 1978 |
3rd: The boy, the bridge, the river Vincent O'Sullivan |
The time of Achamoth M. K. Joseph |
| 1979 |
1st: Plumb Maurice Gee |
Plumb Maurice Gee |
| 1980 |
1st: Leaves of the banyan tree Albert Wendt |
Living in the Maniototo Janet Frame |
| 1981 |
3rd: The Lovelock version Maurice Shadbolt |
The Lovelock version Maurice Shadbolt |
| 1982 |
1st equal: Other halves Sue McCauley |
Meg Maurice Gee. Dandy Edison for lunch Vincent O'Sullivan |
| 1983 |
Other halves Sue McCauley |
|
| 1984 |
the bone people Keri Hulme |
|
| 1985 |
Disorderly conduct Marilyn Duckworth All visitors ashore C. K. Stead |
|
| 1986 |
1st: The matriarch Witi Ihimaera. 3rd equal: Potiki Patricia Grace. 3rd equal: Te kaihau / the windeater Keri Hulme |
People of the long water Peter Hooper |
| 1987 |
1st: Season of the Jew Maurice Shadbolt |
Potiki Patricia Grace |
| 1988 |
2nd: Oracles and miracles Stevan Eldred-Grigg |
The book of secrets Fiona Kidman |
| 1989 |
The Carpathians Janet Frame |
|
| 1990 |
Visitors John Cranna |
|
| 1991 |
2nd: Once were warriors Alan Duff |
The burning boy Maurice Gee |
| 1992 |
1st: Portrait of the artist's wife Barbara Anderson |
Dangerous desires Peter Wells |
| 1993 |
1st: Going west Maurice Gee. 2nd: Te ao marama: contemporary Maori writing volume I Witi Ihimaera, ed. |
The skinny Louie book Fiona Farrell |
| Montana Book Awards | New Zealand Book Awards | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 |
Let the river stand Vincent O’Sullivan |
The miserables Damien Wilkins |
| 1995 |
Bulibasha Witi Ihimaera |
The singing whakapapa C. K. Stead |
| Best First Book | Fiction | |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 |
Not her real name Emily Perkins |
Zoology Sheridan Keith |
| 1997 |
Finding home Dominic Sheehan |
What becomes of the broken hearted? Alan Duff |
| 1998 |
In a fishbone church Catherine Chidgey |
Live bodies Maurice Gee |
| 1999 |
Alpha male William Brandt |
The vintner's luck Elizabeth Knox |
| 2000 |
Stray thoughts and nosebleeds Duncan Sarkies |
Harlequin Rex Owen Marshall |
| 2001 |
Emerald budgies Karyn Hay |
The book of fame Lloyd Jones |
| 2002 |
Stonedogs Craig Marriner |
Stonedogs Craig Marriner |
| 2003 |
Queen of beauty Paula Morris |
The Shag incident Stephanie Johnson |
| 2004 |
Bloom Kelly Ana Morey |
Slow water Annamarie Jagose |
| Best First Book | Medal for Fiction or Poetry | Fiction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 |
My real life and other stories Julian Novitz |
Tu Patricia Grace |
Tu Patricia Grace |
| 2006 |
A red silk sea Gillian Ranstead |
Blindsight Maurice Gee |
Blindsight Maurice Gee |
| 2007 |
The sound of butterflies Rachael King |
Mister Pip Lloyd Jones |
Mister Pip Lloyd Jones |
| 2008 |
The blue Mary McCallum |
Opportunity Charlotte Grimshaw |
Opportunity Charlotte Grimshaw |
| 2009 |
The rehearsal Eleanor Catton |
Novel about my wife Emily Perkins |
Novel about my wife Emily Perkins |
| Best First Book | Fiction | |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 |
Relief Anna Taylor |
As the earth turns silver Alison Wong |
| 2011 |
Everything we hoped for Pip Adam |
The hut builder Laurence Fearnley |
| 2012 |
Wulf Hamish Clayton |
Rangatira Paula Morris |
| 2013 |
I got his blood on me Lawrence Patchett |
The big music (also Book of the Year) Kirsty Gunn |
| 2014 |
Tough Amy Head |
The luminaries Eleanor Catton |
| Best First Book | Fiction | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 |
The invisible mile David Coventry |
Coming rain Stephen Daisley |
| 2017 |
Black ice matter Gina Cole |
The wish child Catherine Chidgey |
| 2018 |
Baby Annaleese Jochems |
The new animals Pip Adam |
| 2019 |
The sound of breaking glass Kirsten Warner |
This mortal boy Fiona Kidman |
| 2020 |
Auē Becky Manawatu |
Auē Becky Manawatu |
| 2021 |
Victory Park Rachel Kerr |
Bug Week & other stories Airini Beautrais |
| 2022 |
Greta & Valdin Rebecca K. Reilly |
Kurangaituku Whiti Hereaka |
| 2023 |
Home theatre Anthony Lapwood |
The axeman’s carnival Catherine Chidgey |
| 2024 |
Ruin and other stories Emma Hislop |
Lioness Emily Perkins |
Before 1996 there were two major New Zealand literary prizes, the New Zealand Book Awards (1976–95) and the Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards (1968–93). The Goodman Fielder Wattie awards had a single category covering all genres, which is why there are no listings for some years.
In 1994 winemaker Montana took over sponsorship of the Goodman Fielder Wattie Awards, which became the Montana Book Awards (1994–95). The two awards then merged as the Montana New Zealand Book Awards (1996–2009). New Zealand Post sponsored the awards from 2010 to 2014, and property developer Ockham has done so since 2016.
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