Bennett prose on prize shortlist

Untold Stories, the British writer's first collection of prose since the best-selling Writing Home, features his work from the past 10 years.

But Baghdad Burning, a blog by an anonymous Iraqi woman chosen for the longlist in March, failed to make the judges' final shortlist of six.

The winner of the £30,000 prize will be announced on 14 June on BBC Four.

The other shortlisted works are Bad Faith by Carmen Callil, Postwar by Tony Judt, The Orientalist by Tom Reiss, The Sale Of The Late King's Goods by Jerry Brotton, and 1599: A Year In The Life Of William Shakespeare by James Shapiro.

Chair of the judges Professor Lord Robert Winston said: "We found it an exceptionally difficult decision, but the judges were unanimous.

Award-winning play

"Each book has a special voice and each book looks at its subject with a fresh eye."

Bennett's anthology includes an account of his parents' marriage and his diaries for 1996-2004, as well as essays, reviews and lectures.

Born in Leeds in 1934, the 72-year-old Bennett first came to prominence with Beyond the Fringe in the 1960s.

He is known for several stage plays including 40 Years On, The Madness of King George and an adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, as well as 1988 TV monologues Talking Heads.

His most recent play, The History Boys, has won several awards including the Laurence Olivier award for best new play, five Drama Desk awards and is nominated for seven Broadway Tonys.

The Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction is open to books on current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography and the arts.

Books published in English between 1 May 2005 and 30 April 2006 by writers of any nationality are eligible.

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