2 publishers · first seen Wed, 04 Nov 2026 22:15 UTC · updated Wed, 04 Nov 2026 22:20 UTC
Edmund Richardson's biography 'Alexander: God, King, Man' has won the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for nonfiction, marking a significant surge in interest in ancient Greek history. The book, which reads like a novel and includes new research from 12 ancient languages, was awarded the 50,000 pound prize at a ceremony in London. This marks the first time a work of ancient history has won the prize, highlighting the enduring appeal of Alexander the Great's story.
Richardson, a professor of classics at Durham University, spent a decade researching Alexander's life, emphasizing that the conqueror was not initially seen as a great figure. The prize judges praised the book as a 'love letter to the humanities,' coinciding with funding cuts affecting these disciplines in the UK and beyond. The Baillie Gifford Prize, established in 1999, has been instrumental in bringing a diverse range of non-fiction books to a broader audience.
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