The Premier of NSW, the Honourable Barry O’Farrell today [14 August 2013] announced the shortlist for the 2013 NSW Premier’s History Awards. Eight judges considered 161 entries across the five prize categories.
The Premier commented: “The NSW Premier’s History Awards celebrate excellence in historical research, writing and presentation. With prizes for Multimedia History and Young People’s History, we recognise that history can be told in a variety of formats and is important for all ages.”
Minister George Souris MP, Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing, Minister for the Arts welcomed the announcement of the shortlist: “This year saw an impressive 161 eligible nominations received across the five categories, each with a $15,000prize. The quality of entrants for the awards this year was also impressive, and I offer my congratulations to all of the finalists announced today.”
2013 NSW Premier’s History Awards shortlist
Australian History Prize:
- The Sex Lives of Australians: A History, Frank Bongiorno
- Kitty’s War: The remarkable wartime experiences of Kit McNaughton, Janet Butler
- The Aboriginal Male in the Enlightenment World, Shino Konishi
General History Prize:
- Assimilation and Empire: Uniformity in the French and British Colonies, 1541‐1954, Saliha Belmessous
- The Savage Visit: New World People and Popular Imperial Culture in Britain, 1710‐1795, Kate Fullagar
- Soviet Women on the Frontline in the Second World War, Roger D. Markwick, E. Charon Cardona
NSW Community & Regional History Prize:
- Canberry Tales: An Informal History, Granville Allen Mawer
- First Vintage: Wine in colonial New South Wales, Julie McIntyre
- The Mind of a Thief, Patti Miller
Multimedia History Prize:
- First Foot Prints: Super Nomads (Episode 1), Martin Butler and Bentley Dean
- The Cook and the Curator: Eat Your History (Blog), Scott Hill and Jacqui Newling
- Utopia Girls, Clare Wright, Lucy Maclaren, Jasmin Tarasin and Alex West
Young People’s History Prize:
- Dingo: The Dog Who Conquered a Continent, Jackie French
- Pennies for Hitler, Jackie French
- What are the Mysteries of Lake Mungo? Timothy Gurry and Robert Lewis
Senior judge and President of the NSW History Council, Professor Richard Waterhouse, said the judges were impressed by the high standard of entries this year.
“The diversity, the range and depth of the historical research within each category demonstrates how vibrant and vital our past is within our cultural present,” said Professor Waterhouse. “It’s clear that historians in this country are making major contributions to writing, documenting and revising the histories of events, cultures and peoples in Australia, Europe, the Americas and Asia.”
Winner announcement:
The winners of the 2013 Awards will be announced at a presentation and cocktail reception held in the historic Mitchell Library Reading Room at the State Library of NSW on 12 September 2013.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the event. Tickets: $85 each. Bookings are essential: www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/events_talks/events
