Honours

Awards, Recognition, Nominations

2019    Booker Prize for Girl, Woman, Other
2022    President, Royal Society of Literature (2022-2026)

2024    The UK Black Powerlist 100  (+ 2023, 2022, 2021)

2023    Black Excellence Awards, Outstanding Contribution to Literature,
2023    Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Sheffield
2023    Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Exeter
2023    Prix de Libraires du Quebec, Canada – finalist
2023    Grand Prix des Lecteurs, France – finalist
2023    The UK Black Powerlist 100
2022    Honorary Fellow, Goldsmiths, University of London
2022    Honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters (D.Litt), Kings College London
2022    Honorary Doctor of Arts (D.Litt) London South Bank University
2022    Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt), Queen Mary University of London
2022    Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt), University of Greenwich
2022    Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt), Glasgow Caledonian University
2022    Honorary Fellow, CILIP, The Library and Information Association
2022    A Forbes ’50 over 50′ honoree for EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa region)
2022    Sky Arts: No. 26 on the list of Britain’s 50 Most Influential Artists of the Past 50 years
2022    Soho House Awards for creatives: Writer Award
2022    Stylist Magazine Remarkable Women Awards: Writer of the Year
2022    The UK Black Powerlist 100
2022    A Big Jubilee Read, Girl (Woman, Other) one of 70 books chosen to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
2022    Plebiscyt Ksiazka Roku 2021/ Literatura Piekna (Poland) for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2022    Visionary Honours Book of the Year 2021 for Manifesto – finalist
2022    President, Royal Society of Literature (2022-2026)
2021    Named ‘Person of the Year’ as the 151st honoree of The Bookseller 150 Powerlist
2021    Appointed an International Honorary Member (IHM), American Academy of Arts & Sciences (est. 1780)
2021    Nielsen Bookscan Gold Bestseller Award
2021    ‘Freedom of the Borough’, awarded by the Royal Borough of Greenwich
2021    Vanity Fair magazine Challenger Award
2021    Glamour magazine Women of the Year: Gamechanging Author Award:Girl, Woman Other
2021    GG2 Woman of the Year Award for Girl, Woman Other
2021    The UK Black Powerlist 100
2021    Appointed President, Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance
2021    European Literary Award (Holland) for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2021    Premio Lattes Grinzane (Italy) for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2021    Premio Gregor von Rezzori (Italy) for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2021    Dublin International Literary Award for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2021    Prix Les Afriques (Switzerland) for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2020    Honorary Fellow, St Anne’s College, University of Oxford (est. 1096)
2020    Appointed a Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature (est. 1820)
2020    Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage, Trinity College Dublin (est. 1683)
2020    Awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List
2020    British Book Awards: Author of the Year
2020    British Book Awards: Fiction Book of the Year for Girl, Woman Other
2020    Indie Book Award for Fiction for Girl, Woman Other
2020    Le Prix Millepage Award (France) for Girl, Woman Other
2020    Reading Women Award for Girl, Woman Other
2020    The Bookseller 150 – Powerlist
2020    The Vogue 25 list of Britain’s most influential women 2020
2020    Elle, one of 50 Game-changers 2020
2020    Selected as one of 100 Great Black Britons
2020    OkayAfrica ‘100 Women for 2020’
2020    Publishing Triangle Awards (USA) for Girl, Woman Other – longlist
2020    Australian Book Industry Awards for Girl, Woman Other – longlist
2020    The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2020    Women’s Prize for Fiction for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2020    Visionary Honors Award for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2020    Glass Bell Awards for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2019    Gordon Burn Prize for Girl, Woman Other – finalist
2019    Financial Times Women Game Changers of 2019
2019    Evening Standard  Progress 1000 most influential Londoners
2019    The Bookseller 150 – power list
2018    Appointed a Fellow, Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance (est. 1950)
2017    Appointed an Honorary Fellow, The English Association (est. 1906)
2015    The Montgomery Fellow, Dartmouth College, USA (est. 1769)
2015    Triangle Awards: Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBT Fiction (USA) – Mr Loverman
2014    Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize – Mr Loverman
2010    Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (USA): for Blonde Roots – finalist
2010    Poetry Book Society Special Commendation for Ten poetry anthology
2009    International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for Blonde Roots – longlist
2009    The Big Red Read Award: fiction winner for Blonde Roots
2009    The Big Red Read Award: overall winner for Blonde Roots
2009    Awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List
2009    Orange Prize Youth Panel Award for Blonde Roots
2009    Orange Prize for Fiction for Blonde Roots – longlist
2006    Appointed a Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (est. 1754)
2006    British Council Writing Fellow, Georgetown University, USA (est. 1789)
2004    Appointed a Fellow, Royal Society of Literature (est. 1820)
2003    NESTA Fellowship Award for The Emperor’s Babe
(National Endowment of Science, Technology & The Arts)
2002    Creative Writing Fellow, University of East Anglia (est. 1963)
2000    The Arts Council of England Writers Award 2000 for The Emperor’s Babe
1999    EMMA Best Book Award for Lara

Academic Honours – Brunel University London
2022     CBASS Lecturer of the Year Award
2020     Vice Chancellor’s Award for Staff*
2017     Teach Brunel Awards: CBASS Best Small Module Award
2015     CBASS Award for Excellence
2014     Appointed The Public Orator

*for outstanding contributions to the University and the international community

Notable books of the year

Manifesto
A Sunday Times Book of the Year 2021
A Times Book of the Year 2021
A Time 100 Must-Read Book of 2022
A Washington Review of Books Favourite Book of 2022
A New Statesman Book of the Year, 2022
A Kirkus Best Multicultural Book of 2022
Apple Books, Best 15 Books of 2021
A Waterstones Best Book of 2021
A Daunts Book of the Year 2021
A Stylist Best Book for Christmas 2021
Woman & Home Best Books of 2021

Girl, Woman, Other
35 + selections in newspapers, magazines
& the media
visit page for Girl, Woman, Other

Mr Loverman
An Observer Book of the Year

Blonde Roots
A Financial Times Book of the Year
A Prospect Book of the Year
A San Francisco Chronicle Book of the Year

Soul Tourists
An Independent Book of the Year
An Independent on Sunday Book of the Year

The Emperor’s Babe
A Times Book of the Decade, (2000-2010)
A Telegraph Book of the Year
A Sunday Independent Book of the Year
A Times Book of the Year
An Ireland Sunday Independent Book of the Year
A Times Best of Summer Books

Lara
A New Statesman Book of the Year
A Telegraph Book of the Year
A Weekly Journal Book of the Year