The Walkley Foundation has announced the shortlist for the Walkley Book Award, part of Australia’s most prestigious journalism accolades, the Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism.
The Walkley Book Award celebrates Australian writers who take enduring subjects from news, eyewitness accounts, investigations and history. Their books bring readers immersive detail, clear analysis and new revelations.
More than 50 books were entered this year. Their subject matter ranged from true crime, politics, and war, to memoir and biography.
The 2017 Walkley Book Award shortlisted finalists are (in alphabetical order):
- Julia Baird, Victoria: The Queen, HarperCollins Publishers
- Steve Cannane, Fair Game: The Incredible Untold Story of Scientology in Australia, ABC Books/HarperCollins Publishers
- Louise Milligan, Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of George Pell, Melbourne University Press
The judges for the 2017 book awards were:
- Paul Bailey, editor, Australian Financial Review
- Michael Bodey, media journalist and film editor
- Kirstie Clements, journalist & author
- Catriona Menzies-Pike, editor, Sydney Review of Books
- Colleen Ryan, journalist & author
- Susan Skelly, publisher, Excess All Areas
- John van Tiggelen, journalist
- Chris Warren, journalist
- Pam Williams, journalist & author
The winner of the 2017 Walkley Book Award will be announced at the 62nd Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism on Wednesday 29 November at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The ceremony will be broadcast live on the Sky News Public Affairs Channel, A-PAC (channel 648) from 8pm AEDT and live-streamed on the Walkley website.