Sign in Subscribe
Physicians

Women's Prize for Non-Fiction and Fiction Awarded to Rachel Clarke and Yael van der Wouden

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Best-selling author and physician Rachel Clarke has been named the winner of this year's Women's Prize for Non-Fiction for her book The Story of a Heart, a historical account of heart transplants over the past century. Dutch author Yael van der Wouden picked up the award for Fiction with her debut novel The Safekeep, a story about a girl living in her parents' house after World War II. Both authors received £30,000 each for their achievements.

Key Takeaways:

  • Rachel Clarke, a 52-year-old NHS doctor, won the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction with her book The Story of a Heart, a historical account of heart transplants. Clarke previously published three books, including Your Life in my Hands (2017) and Dear Life (2020), which were adapted into an ITV drama in 2024. Her book is described as "a love letter to the NHS".
  • The Safekeep, Yael van der Wouden's debut novel, won the Women's Prize for Fiction. The book, about a girl living in her parents' house after World War II, was praised by judges for its "impressive" and "classic" storytelling. Van der Wouden's book beat out other shortlisted novels, including Good Girl by Aria Aber and Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout.
  • The Women's Prize for Non-Fiction was established in 1995, in response to an all-male Booker prize shortlist in 1991. The prize was set up to recognize and celebrate the work of female non-fiction writers, who are often underrepresented in literary awards.
  • The Women's Prize for Fiction has previously been won by authors including Zadie Smith, Ali Smith, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
  • Rachel Clarke and Yael van der Wouden are the first winners of this year's Women's Prize for Non-Fiction and Fiction, respectively. The awards ceremony took place on Thursday 12 June at Bedford Square Gardens, London.

Statistics:

  • The Women's Prize for Non-Fiction has been awarded annually since 1995.
  • Rachel Clarke is a 52-year-old NHS doctor and author of four books, including Your Life in my Hands (2017) and Dear Life (2020).
  • Yael van der Wouden is a 37-year-old author of debut novel The Safekeep, which beat out other shortlisted novels for the Women's Prize for Fiction.
  • The prize money for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction and Fiction winners is £30,000 each.
  • The inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction was awarded to Naomi Klein last year for her political memoir Doppelganger.
  • The Women's Prize for Fiction has been awarded to authors including Zadie Smith, Ali Smith, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Sources:

  • "Women's Prize winners of 2025: Rachel Clarke and Yael Van der Wouden" (PA/Getty)
  • "The Safekeep" by Yael van der Wouden (Little, Brown Book Group)
  • "The Story of a Heart" by Rachel Clarke (Penguin Viking)
  • "Frederick Forsyth, The Day of the Jackal author, dies aged 86" ( Evening Standard)
  • "Author Naomi Klein wins inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction" (The Guardian)

Read more