Hay Festival Book of the Year 2024

Tell us your favourite book of 2024!

It's that time of year. Journalists, reviewers and cultural pundits are making their selections of the year's best books. But in a year where stories have never felt more vital, we want to hear from YOU.

Which has been YOUR favourite book of 2024 - the one book you couldn't put down, haven't stopped thinking about, or couldn't wait to recommend to friends? We're looking for books that were published this year (from 1 January 2024) in either paperback or hardback, but won't be too precious about it.

Fill in the form below with your choice along with 100–300 words on why it's your book of 2024 and we'll share some of our favourites using #HBOTY. By submitting your selection below you'll also be entering a prize draw to win a festive book bundle from Hay Festival – see terms and conditions below.

Our overall Hay Festival Book of the Year 2024 will be announced just before Hay Festival Winter Weekend, which takes place in Hay-on-Wye 28 November–1 December, and discussed in a special Book Club event online in December.

Terms & Conditions

• 1. Information on how to enter forms part of these conditions of entry. Participation in this promotion constitutes acceptance of these conditions of entry.
• 2. Entry is open to residents of Great Britain and Northern Ireland residents only. Directors, management and employees (and theimmediate families of directors, management and employees) of the Promoter or theagencies or companies associated with this promotion are ineligible to enter.
• 3. Entrants will be limited to one entry.
• 4. The promotion will start at 00:01 on Monday 5 August 2024 and will close at 23:59 on Wednesday 6 November 2024 (the “Promotion Period”).
• 5. The prize is a Hay Festival book bundle - a selection of 10 books, of the Festival's choosing.
• 6. Winners must have access to a personal email account on the internet.
• 7. Hay Festival accepts no responsibility for late, incomplete, incorrectly submitted, corrupted or misdirected entries, network failure or delay.
• 8. The Promoter and its associated agencies and companies will not be liable to any prize winner and their guest for any loss (including, without limitation, indirect, special or consequential loss or loss of profits), expense or damage which is suffered or sustained (whether or not arising from any person’s negligence) in connection with this promotion or accepting or using any prize, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law (including personal injury, death and fraud) in which case that liability is limited to the minimum allowable by law.
• 9. No warranty or guarantee is given by the Promoter in relation to any prize.
• 10. The prize(s) is/are not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be redeemed for cash or any other form of compensation. In theevent for any reason the prize winner does not take an element of the prize at the time stipulated by the Promoter, then that element of the prize will be forfeited by the winner and neither cash nor any other form of compensation will be supplied in lieu of that element of the prize. If for any reason a prize is not available, the Promoter reserves the right to substitute another prize for it, in its sole discretion, of equal or higher value.
• 11. If for any reason any aspect of this promotion is not capable of running as planned the Promoter may in its sole discretion cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the promotion, or invalidate any affected entries (this includes, without limitation, by reason of infection by computer virus, network failure, bugs, tampering, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical failures or any cause beyond thecontrol of the Promoter which corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this promotion).
• 12. If any of the winning entries are deemed not to comply with these conditions of entry, the entry will be discarded and a new winner of the prize will be determined by the Promoter.
• 13. In all aspects of this promotion the Promoter’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the promotion.
• 14. The Promoter reserves the right to publish the name and county of residence of the promotion winner.
• 15. This Promotion shall be governed by English law.