Book pulped by MOD wins Orwell Prize for political writing

The book category of the Orwell Prize was won by Toby Harnden for Dead Men Risen (Quercus).

The book, an account of the Welsh Guards in Afghanistan, had its entire first print run bought and pulped by the MOD. The book that went on sale last March contained amended passages.

The judges said: 'It sometimes seems that we only care about the soldiers fighting in our names when they are killed. Once the platitudes are over we forget about them. Toby Harnden’s remarkable book takes us into the hearts and minds of the Welsh Guards in a way that is both compelling and visceral. It challenges every citizen of this country to examine exactly what we’re asking soldiers to do in Afghanistan. And rather than offering easy answers it lets the soldiers speak for themselves.'

The other Orwell Prizes, for journalism and blogs, were won by Amelia Gentleman for her writing in the Guardian, and the blog Rangers Tax Case. Christopher Hitchens, who died last year, was memorialised.

Website: http://orwellprize.co.uk