The Galaxy British Book Awards 2008 winners are announced - The Nibbies

Rowling closes Potter years with Nibbie no.5
Ian McEwan picks up two awards

J.K. ROWLING received her first Nibbie ten years ago for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and who went on to collect another three over the intervening years, this week received her fifth Nibbie when she was presented with the Book People Outstanding Achievement Award at the Galaxy British Book Awards held, once again, at London's Grosvenor House Hotel. The accolade, coming as the Potter saga closes, crowns a glittering decade, and provides a neat symmetry to an extraordinary period in British publishing.

The Nibbies has always been about the book trade 'family' coming together and this year, that feeling extended to the stage, with Jonathan Ross, brother-in-law of Richard & Judy Executive Producer Amanda Ross, presenting the first ever Galaxy Book of the Year, which went to Ian McEwan for On Chesil Beach (Vintage).

The award is chosen by a 12-strong panel of experts from the Academy of the British Book Awards. The night marked a significant "double" for McEwan, who was also was named Reader's Digest Author of the Year for On Chesil Beach . Guests saw film of McEwan accepting the award - his first Nibbie - in San Francisco where he has been on a lecture tour.

There was little surprise at Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns (Bloomsbury) winning the coveted Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year, which will add another boost to what are already very impressive sales.

His fellow R&J author Kim Edwards received the Sainsbury's Popular Fiction Award for The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Penguin).Catherine O'Flynn was named Waterstone Newcomer of the Year, a popular win for booksellers who have already enjoyed strong sales of her What was Lost (Tindal Street).For Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman, 'down' has proved more successful than 'round'. Long Way Down (Sphere) won the Play.com Popular Non-Fiction Award - the previous title received a shortlisting for TV & Film Book in 2005.

The same house also saw success with the Booksdirect Crime Thriller of the Year which went to Patricia Cornwell for Book of the Dead.Finally, from Harry to Henry.

Francesca Simon's Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman (Orion) won the WHSmith Children's Book of the Year, which would have children's books naughtiest character squealing with delight.

For the full press release go here...........