2005 - Hilary Spurling, Matisse the Master
2004 - Andrea Levy, The Small Island
2003 - Mark Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
2002 - Claire Tomalin, Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self
2001 - Philip Pullman, The Amber Spyglass
2000 - Matthew Kneale, English Passengers
1999 - Seamus Heaney, Beowulf
1998 - Ted Hughes, Birthday Letters
1997 - Ted Hughes, Tales from Ovid
1996 - Seamus Heaney, The Spirit Level
1995 - Kate Atkinson, Behind the Scenes at the Museum
1994 - William Trevor, Felicia's Journey