Imagine a collection of personal diaries so captivating, so brutally honest, and so rich in detail that it wins one of the most prestigious nonfiction awards in the UK. That’s exactly what Helen Garner has achieved with How to End a Story, making history as the first writer to claim the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize with a diary collection. But here’s where it gets controversial: while Garner’s work is being celebrated for its intimacy and intellectual depth, the very institution sponsoring the prize, Baillie Gifford, has faced fierce criticism for its investments in fossil fuels and companies linked to Israel. Could this tarnish the glow of such a remarkable literary achievement?
The £50,000 award was announced at a ceremony in London, where Robbie Millen, chair of the judges and literary editor of The Times, hailed Garner’s work as ‘a remarkable, addictive book.’ Millen praised Garner’s ability to elevate the diary form, blending the intimate, the intellectual, and the mundane into something extraordinary. ‘It’s a big book,’ he noted, referring to its 832 pages, ‘but Garner is such good company—funny, original, clever, and always interesting—that we didn’t want it to end.’
This victory marks Garner’s first major UK literary award, though she’s no stranger to accolades in her native Australia. At 82, Garner is celebrated for her unflinching explorations of domestic life, creativity, and morality. Born in Geelong in 1942, she began her career as a teacher and journalist before publishing her debut novel, Monkey Grip, in 1977. Since then, she’s penned fiction, screenplays, and nonfiction, including The Children’s Bach and This House of Grief.
How to End a Story spans decades of Garner’s life, from bohemian Melbourne in the 1970s to the tumultuous breakdown of her marriage in the 1990s. The judges praised its ‘devastating honesty, steel-sharp wit, and ecstatic attention to detail.’ Rachel Cooke of The Observer went further, calling it ‘the greatest, richest journals by a writer since Virginia Woolf’s.’
But this triumph isn’t without its shadows. Baillie Gifford, the Edinburgh-based investment firm sponsoring the prize, has been under fire for its financial ties to fossil fuels and Israel-linked companies. Last year, boycotts organized by Fossil Free Books led to the termination of partnerships with nine literary festivals. Even 2024 winner Richard Flanagan refused the prize money until Baillie Gifford commits to reducing fossil fuel investments and increasing renewables. Though Flanagan ultimately donated the funds to a literacy charity, the controversy lingers.
And this is the part most people miss: while Garner’s win is a literary milestone, it also shines a spotlight on the ethical dilemmas surrounding prestigious awards. Should artists accept honors from institutions whose values may conflict with their own? Or does the art itself transcend these debates?
Garner’s next work, The Mushroom Tapes: Conversations on a Triple Murder Trial, co-authored with Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein, is set to publish in the UK on November 20. Based on the infamous Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial, it promises to be another gripping exploration of real-life drama.
The other shortlisted titles this year included The Revolutionists by Jason Burke, The Boundless Deep by Richard Holmes, Captives and Companions by Justin Marozzi, Lone Wolf by Adam Weymouth, and Electric Spark: The Enigma of Muriel Spark by Frances Wilson. The judging panel, comprising Millen, historian Pratinav Anil, journalist Inaya Folarin Iman, author Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Rachel Lloyd from The Economist, and biographer Peter Parker, selected Garner’s work from over 350 books published between November 2024 and October 2025.
The Baillie Gifford Prize, originally founded as the Samuel Johnson Prize in 1999, has honored writers like Antony Beevor, Jonathan Coe, and Hallie Rubenhold. But as Garner’s win shows, it’s not just about the past—it’s about pushing boundaries and sparking conversations.
So, what do you think? Does the source of funding diminish the value of an award, or should we separate art from its sponsors? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re eager to dive into Garner’s groundbreaking work, visit guardianbookshop.com to order How to End a Story and explore the shortlist. Delivery charges may apply.
