The Shiva Naipaul Memorial Prize is awarded annually to the entrant best able, like the late writer, to describe a visit to a ‘foreign’ place or people. The judges were Robert Macfarlane, Miranda France, Jenny Naipaul, Mark Amory, Mary Wakefield, Lucy Vickery and Clarissa Tan. There were 126 entries from 21 countries. Six were shortlisted, including Anne Jolis, Steven McGregor, Will Nicoll and Gordon Hector; the runner-up was Misti Traya.