| 1968 |
The New Zealand sea shore John Morton and Michael Miller Collins |
| 1969 |
Augustus Earle in New Zealand Anthony Murray-Oliver Whitcombe and Tombs |
| 1970 |
The fateful voyage of the St Jean Baptiste John Dunmore Pegasus Press |
| 1971 |
William and Mary Rolleston: an informal biography Rosemary Rolleston A. H. & A. W. Reed |
| 1972 |
Two hundred years of New Zealand painting Gil Docking A. H. & A. W. Reed |
| 1973 |
Strangers and journeys Maurice Shadbolt Hodder and Stoughton |
| 1974 |
Tangi Witi Ihimaera Heinemann |
| 1975 |
Nothing venture, nothing win Edmund Hillary Hodder and Stoughton |
| 1976 |
The wind commands: sailors and sailing ships in the Pacific Harry Morton McIndoe |
| 1977 |
Charles Brasch James Bertram Oxford University Press |
| 1978 |
Sovereign chief: a biography of Baron de Thierry J. D. Raeside Caxton Press |
| 1979 |
Plumb Maurice Gee Oxford University Press |
| 1980 |
Leaves of the banyan tree Albert Wendt Longman Paul |
| 1981 |
1st equal: Eruera: the teachings of a Maori elder Eruera Stirling and Anne Salmond Oxford University Press. 1st equal: Te Rauparaha: a new perspective Patricia Burns Reed |
| 1982 |
1st equal: Craft New Zealand: the art of the craftsman Doreen Blumhardt and Brian Brake Reed. 1st equal: Other halves Sue McCauley Hodder and Stoughton |
| 1983 |
To the is-land Janet Frame Hutchinson |
| 1984 |
Maori: a photographic and social history Michael King Heinemann |
| 1985 |
The envoy from Mirror City Janet Frame Hutchinson |
| 1986 |
The matriarch Witi Ihimaera Heinemann |
| 1987 |
Season of the Jew Maurice Shadbolt Hodder and Stoughton |
| 1988 |
The Treaty of Waitangi Claudia Orange Allen & Unwin and Port Nicholson Press |
| 1989 |
Sylvia! the biography of Sylvia Ashton-Warner Lynley Hood Viking |
| 1990 |
Moriori: a people rediscovered Michael King Viking |
| 1991 |
The dictionary of New Zealand biography, volume one and Ngā tangata taumata rau, 1769–1869 W. H. Oliver, ed. Bridget Williams Books and the Department of Internal Affairs |
| 1992 |
Portrait of the artist’s wife Barbara Anderson Victoria University Press |
| 1993 |
Going west Maurice Gee Viking |
| Fiction | Non-Fiction | Poetry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 |
Let the river stand Vincent O'Sullivan Penguin |
English–Māori dictionary H. M. Ngata Learning Media |
100 New Zealand poems Bill Manhire, ed. Godwit |
| 1995 |
Bulibasha Witi Ihimaera Penguin |
Māori healing and herbal: New Zealand ethnobotanical sourcebook Murdoch Riley Viking Sevenseas |
Pieces of music Michael Jackson Vintage |
| Fiction | Cultural Heritage | Poetry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 |
Zoology Sheridan Keith Penguin |
Redemption songs: a life of Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turiki Judith Binney Bridget Williams Books |
My sunshine Bill Manhire Victoria University Press |
| 1997 |
What becomes of the broken hearted? Alan Duff Vintage |
The story of Suzanne Aubert Jessie Munro Auckland University Press and Bridget Williams Books |
An anthology of New Zealand poetry in English Jenny Bornholdt, Gregory O'Brien and Mark Williams, eds. Oxford University Press |
| Fiction or Poetry | Non-fiction | |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 |
Live bodies Maurice Gee Penguin |
The dictionary of New Zealand English Harry Orsman Oxford University Press |
| 1999 |
The vintner's luck Elizabeth Knox Victoria University Press |
The loving stitch: a history of knitting and spinning in New Zealand Heather Nicholson Auckland University Press |
| 2000 |
Harlequin Rex Owen Marshall Vintage |
The art of Grahame Sydney Grahame Sydney Longacre |
| 2001 |
The book of fame Lloyd Jones Penguin |
Wrestling with the angel: a life of Janet Frame Michael King Viking |
| 2002 |
Stonedogs Craig Marriner Vintage |
A city possessed: the Christchurch Civic Crèche case Lynley Hood Longacre |
| 2003 |
The Shag incident Stephanie Johnson Vintage |
The wine atlas of New Zealand Michael Cooper Hodder Moa Beckett |
| 2004 |
Slow water Annamarie Jagose Victoria University Press |
The trial of the cannibal dog: Captain Cook in the South Seas Anne Salmond Penguin |
| 2005 |
Tu Patricia Grace Penguin |
At home: a century of New Zealand design Douglas Lloyd Jenkins Godwit |
| 2006 |
Blindsight Maurice Gee Penguin |
Pōhutukawa and rātā: New Zealand's iron-hearted trees Philip Simpson Te Papa Press |
| 2007 |
Mister Pip Lloyd Jones Penguin |
Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand Audrey Eagle Te Papa Press |
| 2008 |
Opportunity Charlotte Grimshaw Vintage |
Wetlands of New Zealand: a bitter-sweet story Janet Hunt Random House |
| 2009 |
Novel about my wife Emily Perkins Bloomsbury |
Rita Angus: an artist’s life Jill Trevelyan Te Papa Press |
| Book of the Year | |
|---|---|
| 2010 |
Encircled lands: Te Urewera, 1820–1921 Judith Binney Bridget Williams Books |
| 2011 |
Blue smoke: the lost dawn of New Zealand popular music, 1918–1964 Chris Bourke Auckland University Press |
| 2012 |
New Zealand’s native trees John Dawson and Rob Lucas Craig Potton Press |
| 2013 |
The big music Kirsty Gunn Faber |
| 2014 |
Peter McLeavey: the life and times of a New Zealand art dealer Jill Trevelyan Te Papa Press |
| Fiction | Non-fiction | Poetry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 |
Coming rain Stephen Daisley Text Publishing |
Māori boy: a memoir of childhood Witi Ihimaera Vintage |
The conch trumpet David Eggleton Otago University Press |
| 2017 |
The wish child Catherine Chidgey Victoria University Press |
Can you tolerate this? Ashleigh Young Victoria University Press |
Fits & starts Andrew Johnston Victoria University Press |
| 2018 |
The new animals Pip Adam Victoria University Press |
Driving to Treblinka: a long search for a lost father Diana Wichtel Awa Press |
Night horse Elizabeth Smither Auckland University Press |
| 2019 |
This mortal boy Fiona Kidman Vintage, Penguin Random House |
Hudson and Halls: the food of love Joanne Drayton Otago University Press |
Are friends electric? Helen Heath Victoria University Press |
| 2020 |
Auē Becky Manawatu Mākaro Press |
Dead people I have known Shayne Carter Victoria University Press |
How to live Helen Rickerby Auckland University Press |
| 2021 |
Bug Week & other stories Airini Beautrais Victoria University Press |
The dark is light enough: Ralph Hotere a biographical portrait Vincent O’Sullivan Penguin, Penguin Random House |
The savage coloniser book Tusiata Avia Victoria University Press |
| 2022 |
Kurangaituku Whiti Hereaka Huia |
Voices from the New Zealand Wars / He Reo nō ngā Pakanga o Aotearoa Vincent O’Malley Bridget Williams Books |
Tumble Joanna Preston Otago University Press |
| 2023 |
The axeman’s carnival Catherine Chidgey Te Herenga Waka University Press |
The English text of the Treaty of Waitangi Ned Fletcher Bridget Williams Books |
Always italicise: how to write while colonised Alice Te Punga Somerville Auckland University Press |
| 2024 |
Lioness Emily Perkins Bloomsbury Publishing |
An indigenous ocean: Pacific essays Damon Salesa Bridget Williams Books |
Chinese fish Grace Yee Giramondo Publishing |
New Zealand’s leading literary awards have changed their name and format on a number of occasions since the first ceremony in 1968. This list gives the major winners of the awards, which were not held in 2015.
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Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
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