2005
The winner was Jonathan Coe for Like A Fiery Elephant: The Story of B. S. Johnson (about B. S. Johnson)
Shortlist
- Alexander Masters, Stuart: A Life Backwards
- Suketu Mehta, Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found
- Orhan Pamuk, Istanbul: Memories and the City
- Hilary Spurling, Matisse the Master: The Conquest of Colour 1909-1954 (about Henri Matisse)
- Sarah Wise, The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave-Robbery in 1830s London
Read more about this topic: Samuel Johnson Prize