Acclaimed author Margaret Atwood has been awarded the prestigious Freedom to Publish award at the 2025 British Book Awards, recognizing her decades-long commitment to defending free speech and fighting censorship. The announcement was made during a gala ceremony in central London on Monday night.
Atwood, a celebrated novelist and long-time patron of the free expression advocacy group Index, accepted the honor via video message. Reflecting on the current global climate, she warned of mounting threats to freedom of thought and expression.
“I cannot remember a time during my own life when words themselves felt under such threat,” she said. “Political and religious polarisation, which appeared to wane during parts of the 20th century, has surged alarmingly in the past decade. The world feels more like the 1930s and 40s than it has in the past 80 years.”
Atwood, renowned for her dystopian classic The Handmaid’s Tale, emphasized that censorship is not confined to authoritarian regimes. She pointed to rising book bans in the United States and efforts to silence dissenting voices in academic institutions.
“All extremisms share the desire to erase their opponents and stifle any creative expression that isn’t propaganda for themselves,” she said. “They don’t want dialogue — they want a monologue.”
Atwood concluded her speech with a message of solidarity for publishers and booksellers, calling them “guardians and transmitters of words in all their multiplicity.” She urged them to remain steadfast in the face of growing pressure from “mobs” and “vengeful potentates.”
A Voice of Resistance
Presenting the award, Channel 4 News’s international editor Lindsey Hilsum praised Atwood’s enduring influence as both a writer and an advocate for free expression.
“When I first read The Handmaid’s Tale, I thought it was dystopian fantasy,” Hilsum said. “But I learned every detail was grounded in historical oppression. Atwood has always used her voice to champion justice, fairness, and freedom of speech — values that feel more urgent today than ever.”
The Freedom to Publish Award, presented in partnership with Index, honors individuals who have demonstrated remarkable efforts in defending the right to read, write, and publish freely. Established in 2021, past recipients include Georgian-Russian author Boris Akunin, novelist Salman Rushdie, and HarperCollins editor Arabella Pike.
Jemimah Steinfeld, CEO of Index, said Atwood was a “natural choice” for this year’s award.
“Censorship is on the rise globally, often starting with culture. Margaret Atwood has consistently stood firm in defense of free expression,” Steinfeld said. “Whether through her writing, her public advocacy, or bold creative acts like the unburnable edition of The Handmaid’s Tale, she confronts repression with wit and clarity.”
Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and chair of judges for the British Book Awards, echoed the sentiment.
“Books are visible representations of the values we hold dear — freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and resistance to authoritarianism,” he said. “Margaret Atwood and her work embody these ideals.”
A Night Reflecting Global Challenges
The 2025 British Book Awards also highlighted other literary works grappling with pressing political issues. U.S. author Percival Everett won both Fiction Book of the Year and Author of the Year for James, a bold reimagining of Huckleberry Finn.
The Overall Book of the Year was awarded posthumously to Patriot by the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. His widow, Julia Navalnya, accepted the honor, describing the book as a powerful testament to freedom and humanity.
“Patriot was never meant to be published after Alexei’s death. He wrote it in secret, under brutal prison conditions, with nothing but his memory and will,” she said. “Publishing this book became a mission. It speaks with clarity and conviction not only about Russia but about freedom, justice, and what it means to remain human.”
Navalnya’s remarks underscored the global resonance of Navalny’s words. “This award is a recognition that truth still matters, that words can break through even the hardest walls and reach hearts everywhere,” she added.
The British Book Awards, established in 1990, have long been regarded as the leading honors in the UK publishing industry, celebrating excellence in writing, publishing, and advocacy.
