London, UK: British author Samantha Harvey has won the 2024 Booker Prize for her novel ‘Orbital’, the first space-themed book to claim the prestigious award.
Set aboard the International Space Station, ‘Orbital’ offers a unique perspective on the world. It has become the biggest-selling book on the shortlist in the UK, even surpassing the sales of the past three Booker-winning books combined before the announcement.
Harvey, who became the first woman to win the prize since 2019, was awarded £50,000 at the ceremony held at London’s Old Billingsgate. Harvey dedicated her win to those who advocate for the Earth and peace.
Reflecting on her journey, Harvey admitted she initially doubted her ability to write about space, given the real-life experiences of astronauts.
Expressing her shock and overwhelmed, Harvey shared that winning the prize would significantly impact her life. Harvey joked about spending her £50,000 on a new bike, which she said would be “a good bike.”
Space Pastoral
Edmund de Waal, Chair of the judging panel, described ‘Orbital’ as a “book about a wounded world,” praising its “beauty and ambition” and its “lyrical language.” Harvey, reflecting on her work, said she viewed it as a “space pastoral,” focusing on the beauty of space much like nature writing.
‘Orbital’, Harvey’s fifth novel, is a 136-page story set over a single day in the lives of six astronauts and cosmonauts. During these 24 hours, they witness 16 sunrises and sunsets while observing the ever-changing landscapes of Earth—glaciers, deserts, mountains, and oceans.
The novel is the second-shortest to win the Booker Prize and covers the briefest time span of any book on the shortlist. The shortest winner in the prize’s history was ‘Offshore’ by Penelope Fitzgerald, at 132 pages.
‘Sometimes you encounter a book and cannot work out how this miraculous event has happened’
We're delighted to announce that the winner of the #BookerPrize2024 is Orbital by Samantha Harvey. 🌌✨
Discover the book: https://t.co/Jx491BCyuj pic.twitter.com/R888OZEPE9
— The Booker Prizes (@TheBookerPrizes) November 12, 2024
Harvey revealed that she wrote ‘Orbital’ during successive lockdowns, drawing parallels between the isolation of astronauts and the constraints of the pandemic.
Harvey, who was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2009 with her debut ‘The Wilderness’, also noted that this year’s Booker Prize shortlist featured five women, marking the highest representation of women in the prize’s 55-year history.
The shortlisted authors were also honoured with a reception at Clarence House, where they met with the Queen.
The other nominees were;
James – Percival Everett (US)
Creation Lake – Rachel Kushner (US)
Held – Anne Michaels (Canada)
The Safekeep – Yael van der Wouden (Netherlands)
Stone Yard Devotion – Charlotte Wood (Australia)
The Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, was established in 1969 to recognize the best original novel written in English. It aims to highlight exceptional literary works, showcasing outstanding storytelling and craftsmanship.
Open to authors from any country, the award has evolved into a platform that celebrates a diverse range of voices, bringing attention to both established and emerging writers.
Previous winning authors include Margaret Atwood, Hilary Mantel, Bernardine Evaristo and Salman Rushdie.
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