Burning, bestselling and beautiful books nominated for 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards

Unforgettable and amusing memoirs, novels that move and unnerve, illustrated books that powerfully illuminate the past and present, and sizzling, considered poetry collections are among the 43 books longlisted from 175 entries.

Established authors dominate this year’s longlist; nine of the books nominated are by first-time published writers. They are represented by 19 publishers, from large multinational publishing houses to bijou presses.

New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa chair Nicola Legat says this year’s longlist is a testament to the talent of their authors and the farsighted publishers who back them.

“Across poetry, prose and non-fiction the list includes books by some of our finest thinkers and most inventive writers. Some tackle today’s burning issues and others are entertaining and escapist reads. All deserve our admiration.

“The 2025 longlist is one of great riches. The judges have a difficult job ahead of them to select the shortlists and eventual winners,” she says.

The 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlisted books are:

*represents debut authors

All That We Know by Shilo Kino (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto) (Moa Press)

Amma by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press)*

Ash by Louise Wallace (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

At the Grand Glacier Hotel by Laurence Fearnley (Penguin, Penguin Random House)

Delirious by Damien Wilkins (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

Kataraina by Becky Manawatu (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe, Waitaha) (Mākaro Press)

Poorhara by Michelle Rahurahu (Ngāti Rahurahu, Ngāti Tahu–Ngāti Whaoa) (Te Herenga Waka University Press)*

Pretty Ugly by Kirsty Gunn (Otago University Press)

The Mires by Tina Makereti (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangatahi-Matakore, Pākehā) (Ultimo Press)

The Royal Free by Carl Shuker (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

Fox Spirit on a Distant Cloud by Lee Murray (The Cuba Press)

Hibiscus Tart by Carin Smeaton (Titus Books)

Hopurangi - Songcatcher: Poems from the Maramataka by Robert Sullivan (Ngāpuhi, Kāi Tahu) (Auckland University Press)

In the Half Light of a Dying Day by C.K. Stead (Auckland University Press)

Liar, Liar, Lick, Spit by Emma Neale (Otago University Press)

Manuali ʻi by Rex Letoa Paget (Saufoʻi Press)*

/Slanted by Alison Glenny (Compound Press)

Slender Volumes by Richard von Sturmer (Spoor Books)

Slim Volume by James Brown (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

The Girls in the Red House are Singing by Tracey Slaughter (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

A Different Light: First Photographs of Aotearoa by Catherine Hammond and Shaun Higgins (Auckland University Press)

Edith Collier: Early New Zealand Modernist by Jill Trevelyan, Jennifer Taylor and Greg Donson (Massey University Press)

Fenoga Tāoga Niue I Aotearoa: Niue Heritage Journey in Aotearoa by Molima Molly Pihigia, Toluma'anave Barbara Makuati-Afitu, Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai, Hikule'o Fe'aomoeako Melaia Māhina and Janson Chau (Mafola Press)

Force of Nature Te Aumangea o Te Ao Tūroa: A Conservation History of Forest & Bird 1923-2023 by David Young and Naomi Arnold (Potton & Burton)

Golden Enterprise: New Zealand Chinese Merchants 1860s-1970s by Phoebe H. Li (Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust)

Leslie Adkin: Farmer Photographer by Athol McCredie (Te Papa Press)

Sam the Trap Man: Cracking Yarns and Tall Tales from the Bush by Sam Gibson (Allen & Unwin New Zealand)*

Sight Lines: Women and Art in Aotearoa by Kirsty Baker (Auckland University Press)*

Te Ata o Tū The Shadow of Tūmatauenga: The New Zealand Wars Collections of Te Papa by Matiu Baker (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whakaue), Katie Cooper, Michael Fitzgerald and Rebecca Rice (Te Papa Press)

Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Māori Art by Deidre Brown (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) and Ngarino Ellis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou) with Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī) (Auckland University Press)

Bad Archive by Flora Feltham (Te Herenga Waka University Press)*

Becoming Aotearoa: A New History of New Zealand by Michael Belgrave (Massey University Press)

Feijoa: A Story of Obsession & Belonging by Kate Evans (Moa Press)*

Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker (Massey University Press)

Hine Toa: A Story of Bravery by Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku (Te Arawa, Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Waikato) (HarperCollins Publishers Aotearoa New Zealand)

Kahurangi: The Nature of Kahurangi National Park and Northwest Nelson by Dave Hansford (Potton & Burton)

The Beautiful Afternoon by Airini Beautrais (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

The Chthonic Cycle by Una Cruickshank (Te Herenga Waka University Press)*

The Invasion of Waikato Te Riri ki Tainui by Vincent O’Malley (Bridget Williams Books)

The Mermaid Chronicles: A Midlife Mer-moir by Megan Dunn (Penguin, Penguin Random House)

The Twisted Chain by Jason Gurney (Ngāpuhi) (Otago University Press)*

The Unsettled: Small Stories of Colonisation by Richard Shaw (Massey University Press)

Unreel: A Life in Review by Diana Wichtel (Penguin, Penguin Random House)

This year the General Non-Fiction judges have longlisted 13 titles, a discretionary allowance that reflects the greater number of entries and range of genres in this category.

The 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards shortlist of 16 titles (four books in each category) will be announced on 5 March. The winners, including the four Mātātuhi Foundation Best First Book Awards recipients, will be announced at a public ceremony on 14 May during the Auckland Writers Festival.

The winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction will receive $65,000 in 2025 and each of the other main category winners will receive $12,000. Each of The Mātātuhi Foundation Best First Book winners (for fiction, poetry, general non-fiction and illustrated non-fiction) will be awarded $3,000.

The Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction is judged by novelist, short story writer and creative writing lecturer Thom Conroy (convenor); bookshop owner and reviewer Carole Beu; and author, educator and writing mentor Tania Roxborogh (Ngāti Porou). They will be joined in deciding the ultimate winner from their shortlist of four by an international judge.

The judges of the Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry are poet, critic and writer David Eggleton (convenor); poet, novelist and short story writer Elizabeth Smither MNZM; and writer and editor Jordan Tricklebank (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Mahuta).

The General Non-Fiction Award is judged by author, writer and facilitator Holly Walker (convenor); author, editor and historical researcher Ross Calman (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāi Tahu); and communications professional, writer and editor Gilbert Wong.

The BookHub Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction is judged by former Alexander Turnbull chief librarian and author Chris Szekely (convenor); arts advocate Jessica Palalagi; and historian and social history curator Kirstie Ross.

The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are supported by Ockham Residential, Creative New Zealand, the late Jann Medlicott and the Acorn Foundation, Mary and Peter Biggs CNZM, Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand, The Mātātuhi Foundation and the Auckland Writers Festival. To find out more about the longlisted titles go to: https://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards/2025-awards/longlist/