Renowned Indian-origin historian Sunil Amrith has won the 2025 British Academy Book Prize for his remarkable work, The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years. The award, worth £25,000, is given annually to a non-fiction book that offers deep insights into global history, culture, and society.
Amrith’s win celebrates not just his writing but also his ability to connect climate history with human experience, offering an important perspective on the roots of today’s environmental challenges.
Who is Sunil Amrith?
Sunil Amrith is a professor of history at Yale University. He was born in Kenya to South Indian parents, raised in Singapore, and later studied at the University of Cambridge in England. His diverse background and global perspective have shaped his research on environmental history, migration, and colonialism.
Over the years, Amrith has become known for his ability to blend academic depth with accessible storytelling, helping readers understand how historical events continue to influence the modern world.
About the Book – The Burning Earth
The Burning Earth explores 500 years of environmental and human history, showing how human actions have transformed the planet. The book connects major global events — from colonisation and industrialisation to modern environmental crises — and explains how they have reshaped both nature and society.
According to the judges, it is a “powerful and beautifully written” book that helps readers understand the origins of today’s climate crisis.
Amrith described his book as an effort to show both the damage caused by human activity and the forgotten ideas and sustainable ways of living that once existed.
Judges’ Remarks
Professor Rebecca Earle, chair of the judging panel, praised The Burning Earth as a “magisterial account” of how human history and environmental change are deeply connected.
She said, “It’s vivid in detail and beautifully written — essential reading for anyone trying to understand the origins of today’s climate crisis.”
The judges agreed that Amrith’s book perfectly represented the spirit of the prize, which honours works that broaden our understanding of the world.
Why the Burning Earth Stands Out?
The British Academy highlighted Amrith’s decades of research and his unique global approach to history. The book spans continents and centuries, covering:
- The colonial conquests of the Americas
- Industrial expansion and its impact on nature
- Mining and deforestation during British rule in South Africa
- The environmental consequences of major events like World War II
It shows how the patterns of exploitation and development that began hundreds of years ago have led to the modern environmental crisis we face today.
Other Shortlisted Books
Along with Amrith, five other authors were shortlisted for the 2025 British Academy Book Prize. Each received £1,000 for their entries:
- The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World — William Dalrymple
- The Baton and the Cross: Russia’s Church from Pagans to Putin — Lucy Ash
- Africonomics: A History of Western Ignorance — Bronwen Everill
- Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women’s Health — Sophie Harman
- Sound Tracks: A Musical Detective Story — Graeme Lawson
About the British Academy Book Prize
The British Academy Book Prize, founded in 2013, honours outstanding non-fiction works in humanities and social sciences. It recognises books that are well-researched, thought-provoking, and accessible to a wide audience.
Authors of any nationality can compete, and the books must be published in English in the UK. The prize encourages global voices that help readers understand different cultures, histories, and ideas.
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