England, London, UK: Indian-origin historian Sunil Amrith has been announced as the winner of this year’s British Academy Book Prize for his acclaimed work “The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years.” The prestigious award, worth 25,000GBP, honors the world’s most outstanding non-fiction books.
Currently a Professor of History at Yale University in the United States, Amrith was born in Kenya to South Indian parents, grew up in Singapore, and completed his higher education at the University of Cambridge in England.
At 46 years old, Amrith received the award during a ceremony held at the British Academy in London on Wednesday evening. The panel of judges described his book as “essential reading” amid the ongoing global climate crisis.
Speaking via a live video link from the US, Amrith reflected on the message of his book.
“People often ask me if The Burning Earth is a bleak book,” he said. “It does document immense harm and suffering—both human and environmental—and shows how deeply they’ve been intertwined throughout history. But I also hope readers see that history offered many possible paths, some forgotten or left behind, that could still inspire us toward a more hopeful, sustainable, and peaceful way of living together on this planet.”
Professor Rebecca Earle, Chair of the judging panel and a UK-based historian, praised the book for its scope and elegance.
“This is a masterful narrative of how human history and environmental change have always been interconnected,” Earle noted. “It’s rich in detail, beautifully written, and vital reading for anyone who wishes to understand the roots of today’s environmental challenges.”
She added that choosing one winner from an exceptional shortlist was no easy task, but The Burning Earth “embodied the true spirit of the prize—deepening our understanding of the world.”
The British Academy, the UK’s national institution for the humanities and social sciences, highlighted that Amrith’s “ground-breaking global environmental history” is the result of years of dedicated research. His work explores how colonialism, industrialisation, and migration have shaped modern civilisation while driving the current climate crisis.
Covering several continents and historical periods—from the European conquest of the Americas to British mining in South Africa, and from the Black Death to World War II—Amrith’s book offers a panoramic view of humanity’s influence on Earth’s environment.
Professor Susan J. Smith, President of the British Academy, described the work as both scholarly and captivating.
“This book marries rigorous research with compelling storytelling. It’s the kind of evidence-based, thought-provoking writing we’re proud to recognise through our annual international book prize,” she said.
Other shortlisted authors, each awarded 1,000GBP, included:
- “The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World” by William Dalrymple
- “The Baton and The Cross: Russia’s Church from Pagans to Putin” by Lucy Ash
- “Africonomics: A History of Western Ignorance” by Bronwen Everill
- “Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women’s Health” by Sophie Harman
- “Sound Tracks: A Musical Detective Story” by Graeme Lawson
Founded in 2013, the British Academy Book Prize celebrates exceptional writing based on original research within the humanities and social sciences. Eligible works must be non-fiction books published in the UK, written in or translated into English, and may be authored by writers of any nationality.
