The prestigious Booker Prize for 2024 has been awarded to British author Samantha Harvey for her novel Orbital.
This achievement makes Harvey the first woman to win the Booker Prize since 2019.
Orbital is a thought-provoking exploration set aboard the International Space Station, where astronauts traverse the vast expanse of the universe.
The novel’s narrative unfolds over a single day, during which the astronauts witness 16 sunrises and sunsets, offering a panoramic view of Earth’s natural wonders.
The story is described as a ‘pastoral’ reflection on humanity’s connection to the planet.
The award ceremony took place at London’s Old Billingsgate, where Harvey dedicated her win to “all those who speak for and not against the Earth and work for and not against peace.”
She also received £50,000 in prize money, which she humorously mentioned would go toward buying a new bike.
Chair of the judging panel, Edmund de Waal, lauded Orbital as a “book about a wounded world,” praising its lyrical language and ambitious storytelling.
At just 136 pages, it is Harvey’s fifth novel and the second-shortest book to ever win the Booker Prize.
Notably, Orbital also covers the briefest time span of any work on this year’s shortlist.
This year’s Booker Prize shortlist was historic, featuring five women among the six finalists, the highest female representation in the award’s 55-year history.
The other nominees included:
- James by Percival Everett (USA)
- Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner (USA)
- Held by Anne Michaels (Canada)
- The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Netherlands)
- Stone Yard Devotion by Charlotte Wood (Australia)
The Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards, open to original works of fiction written in English and published in the UK or Ireland.
