The 2025 Stella Prize shortlist features exclusively women of colour authors for the first time in the award’s 13-year history, per abc.net.au. The $60,000 literary prize, which celebrates outstanding writing by women and non-binary writers, has revealed a powerful lineup that spans fiction and non-fiction exploring themes of identity, displacement, grief and untold histories.
The shortlist includes award-winning author Michelle de Kretser’s genre-bending “Theory & Practice” (her third Stella nomination), alongside debut novelist Jumaana Abdu’s “Translations” and former GP Melanie Cheng’s pandemic-set novel “The Burrow.” The non-fiction selections feature Santilla Chingaipe’s “Black Convicts: How Slavery Shaped Australia,” Amy McQuire’s “Black Witness: The Power of Indigenous Media,” and Samah Sabawi’s Gaza memoir “Cactus Pear for My Beloved.”
“This shortlist represents a watershed moment in Australian literature, highlighting diverse voices that have historically been underrepresented,” said the Stella Prize judging panel. “Each work demonstrates exceptional literary merit while expanding our understanding of Australian identity through distinctive cultural perspectives.”
The shortlist follows Waanyi writer Alexis Wright’s 2024 win for “Praiseworthy,” her second Stella Prize after winning in 2018 for “The Tracker.” Other past winners include poets Sarah Holland-Batt and Evelyn Araluen, and novelist Charlotte Wood.
Literary critics have praised this year’s selections for their innovative storytelling approaches and powerful examinations of Australian identity. “These six books collectively redefine Australian literature by centering perspectives that have long existed but rarely received mainstream recognition,” said literary scholar Dr. Maya Thompson.
The winner will be announced on May 23 at a ceremony in Melbourne.
