Costa Book Awards 2005: Complete list of winners

The 2005 Costa Book Awards celebrated a remarkably diverse crop of winners, each bringing something distinctive to their respective categories. What made this year particularly striking was the range of voices recognized—from the intimate biographical study of Henri Matisse by Hilary Spurling in the Biography category to Kate Thompson’s imaginative children’s novel The New Policeman, which proved that young readers’ literature deserved just as much critical attention as its adult counterparts. These awards, among the most prestigious in British publishing, continued their tradition of championing both established and emerging talent across five distinct categories.

Ali Smith’s win for The Accidental in the Novel category marked another significant moment for innovative contemporary fiction, while Tash Aw’s debut The Harmony Silk Factory signaled the awards’ commitment to discovering fresh voices in the First Novel category. The inclusion of Christopher Logue’s Cold Calls in the Poetry category rounded out a year that demonstrated the Costa Book Awards’ genuine appreciation for literary craft in all its forms. The Costa Book Awards (also known as the Costa Awards) have long served as a barometer for what resonates with both readers and the literary establishment, and 2005 proved to be no exception.

Below is the complete list of all 2005 Costa Book Award winners across every category.

Biography

• Matisse the Master by Hilary Spurling

Children’s Book

• The New Policeman by Kate Thompson

First Novel

• The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw

Novel

• The Accidental by Ali Smith

Poetry

• Cold Calls by Christopher Logue