At 81, Australian literary treasure Helen Garner has secured one of literature's most prestigious honours - the Baillie Gifford Prize for her revealing diaries spanning nearly three decades. The win comes with a £50,000 prize and places her among the world's most celebrated non-fiction writers.
The Unflinching Honesty of a Literary Legend
Garner's winning work, How to End a Story: The Diaries 1995-1998, offers readers a raw, intimate glimpse into the author's life during her tumultuous third marriage. The diaries don't shy away from difficult truths, documenting the gradual disintegration of her relationship with fellow writer Murray Bail with startling clarity.
'I'm never surprised when I read about a woman murdering a man,' Garner told The Guardian in a characteristically frank interview following her win. This provocative statement reflects the diaries' fearless exploration of gender dynamics and domestic conflict.
A Lifetime of Controversial Truth-Telling
Throughout her career, Garner has never avoided difficult subjects. From her groundbreaking 1977 novel Monkey Grip to her true crime masterpiece This House of Grief, she has consistently challenged readers with uncomfortable realities.
'I think women are driven to extremes by circumstances that men perhaps don't fully comprehend,' she explained. Her diaries reveal how personal experience has shaped this perspective, showing the emotional toll of relationships where power imbalances and unspoken tensions simmer beneath the surface.
The Baillie Gifford Victory
The judging panel praised Garner's work as 'a masterpiece of honesty and insight' that demonstrates 'how diaries can become great literature.' At an age when many writers might slow down, Garner continues to produce work that challenges and captivates readers worldwide.
When asked about the significance of winning such a major prize in her ninth decade, Garner responded with typical wit: 'It's rather nice to be noticed before one drops off the perch.'
Her victory marks another milestone in a career defined by courage, controversy, and uncompromising truth-telling - qualities that continue to make Helen Garner one of the most vital voices in contemporary literature.
