The Specsavers National Book Awards, or simply National Book Awards (previously known as Galaxy National Book Awards (2010-11); British Book Awards or Nibbles (1990-2009)) is a British literary award for the best UK writers and their works, as selected by an academy of members from the British book publishing industry. As of 2012-13, the awards are organised and governed by Agile Marketing and sponsored by Specsavers among others.
The shortlists are created by around 50 individuals from the National Book Awards Academy, who are drawn from retailer chain buyers, independent booksellers, wholesalers and trade press columnists. Winners are then chosen by the entire 750-strong National Book Awards Academy by way of vote. Each member gets one vote per category and the most votes wins. The criteria for a winning book is primarily the appeal, profile and sales impact of the title concerned.
From 2010-11, the headline sponsor was Galaxy. Prior to 2010, it was known as the British Book Awards and was promoted by the UK publishing industry trade journal Publishing News. It was also known as the Nibbies because of the golden nib-shaped trophy given to winners.
Famous quotes containing the words national and/or book:
“There is no national science just as there is no national multiplication table; anything that is national is not scientific.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“To revolutionize, at one effort, the universal world of human thought, human opinion, and human sentiment.... All that he has to do is to write and publish a very little book. Its title should be simple—a few plain words—”My Heart Laid Bare.” But—this little book must be true to its title.”
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)