Editing Booker Prize (section)

==History and administration==
The prize was established as the "Booker Prize for Fiction" after the company [[Booker Group|Booker, McConnell Ltd]] began sponsoring the event in 1969;<ref name="Stoddard">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/from-the-archive-blog/2011/oct/18/booker-prize-history-controversy-criticism |title=Man Booker Prize: a history of controversy, criticism and literary greats |first =Katy |last=Stoddard|work=The Guardian |date=18 October 2011 |access-date=18 October 2011}}</ref> it became commonly known as the "Booker Prize" or the "Booker". [[Jock Campbell, Baron Campbell of Eskan|Jock Campbell]], [[Charles William Tyrrell|Charles Tyrrell]] and [[Tom Maschler]] were instrumental in establishing the prize.

When administration of the prize was transferred to the Booker Prize Foundation in 2002, the title sponsor became the investment company [[Man Group]], which opted to retain "Booker" as part of the official title of the prize. The foundation is an independent registered charity funded by the entire profits of Booker Prize Trading Ltd, of which it is the sole shareholder.<ref>{{cite web |title=Booker Prize: legal information |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/terms-conditions |access-date=3 September 2009 |work=thebookerprizes.com}}</ref> The prize money awarded with the Booker Prize was originally £5,000.<ref name="thebookerprizes">{{Cite web |title=Booker Prize facts and figures {{!}} The Booker Prizes |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/booker-prize-facts-and-figures |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=thebookerprizes.com |language=en}}</ref> It doubled in 1978 to £10,000 and was subsequently raised to £50,000 in 2002 under the sponsorship of the Man Group,<ref name="thebookerprizes"/> making it one of the [[List of the world's richest literary prizes|world's richest literary prizes]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} Each of the shortlisted authors receives £2,500 and a specially bound edition of their book.<ref name="thebookerprizes"/>

The original Booker Prize trophy was designed by the artist [[Jan Pieńkowski]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Booker Prize trophy: the story behind our distinctive statuette |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/jan-pie%C5%84kowski-booker-trophy-meg-and-mog|first=Sarah|last=Shaffi|date=5 October 2022|access-date=25 September 2023 |website=thebookerprizes.com |language=en}}</ref> and the design was revived for the 2023 prize.

===1969–1979===
The first winner of the Booker Prize was [[P. H. Newby]] in 1969 for his novel ''[[Something to Answer For]]''. W. L. Webb, ''[[The Guardian]]''{{'}}s Literary Editor, was chair of the inaugural set of judges,<ref name="Wood">{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Gaby |date=4 July 2018 |title=A Glimpse Behind the Scenes: The Booker at 50 |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/a-glimpse-behind-the-scenes-the-booker-at-50 |website=The Booker Prizes}}</ref> which included [[Rebecca West]], [[Stephen Spender]], [[Frank Kermode]] and David Farrer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Booker Prize 1969 {{!}} The Booker Prizes |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/1969 |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=thebookerprizes.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 1970, the prize's second year, [[Bernice Rubens]] became the first woman to win the Booker Prize, for ''[[The Elected Member]]''.<ref>Kidd, James (5 March 2006), [http://www.scmp.com/article/539083/brief-history-man-booker-prize "A Brief History of The Man Booker Prize"], ''South China Morning Post''.</ref>

The rules of the Booker changed in 1971; previously, it had been given retrospectively, to books published in the year prior to each award. In 1971, eligibility was changed to make the year of a novel's publication the same as the year of the award, which was made in November; in effect, this meant that books published in 1970 were not considered for the Booker in either year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-lost-man-booker|title=The Lost Man Booker|website=The Booker Prizes|access-date=9 August 2024}}</ref> Forty years later, the Booker Prize Foundation announced in January 2010 the creation of a special award called the "[[Lost Man Booker Prize]]", with the winner chosen from a longlist of 22 novels published in 1970.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.themanbookerprize.com/news/stories/1317 |title=The Lost Man Booker Prize announced |work=bookerprize.com |date=1 February 2010|access-date=31 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202172535/http://themanbookerprize.com/news/stories/1317 |archive-date=2 December 2010}}</ref> The prize was won by [[J. G. Farrell]] for ''[[Troubles (novel)|Troubles]]'', though the author had died in 1979.

In 1972, winning writer [[John Berger]], known for his [[Marxism|Marxist]] worldview, protested during his acceptance speech against Booker McConnell. He blamed Booker's 130 years of sugar production in the Caribbean for the region's modern poverty.<ref name="White"/><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otu4tjqrOk0 "John Berger on the Booker Prize (1972)"], YouTube.</ref> Berger donated half of his £5,000 prize to the [[British Black Panthers|British Black Panther movement]], because it had a socialist and revolutionary perspective in agreement with his own.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hamya |first1=Jo |title=Seeing G.: John Berger, the Black Panthers and the Booker Prize, 50 years on |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFVi6dZ6C3c|date=30 November 2022 |access-date=30 November 2022|publisher=The Booker Prizes|via=YouTube}}</ref><ref name="White">{{cite news |first=Michael |last=White |url=http://archive.guardian.co.uk/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=R1VBLzE5NzIvMTEvMjUjQXIwMTEwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom |title=Berger's black bread |newspaper=The Guardian |date=25 November 1972}} p. 11.</ref><ref name="Stoddard"/><ref>[https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/i-have-to-turn-the-prize-against-itself-john-bergers-1972-booker-prize Speech by John Berger on accepting the Booker Prize for Fiction] at the Café Royal in London on 23 November 1972. The Booker Prizes, 24 November 2022.</ref>

===1980–1999===
In 1980, [[Anthony Burgess]], writer of ''[[Earthly Powers]]'', refused to attend the ceremony unless it was confirmed to him in advance whether he had won.<ref name="Stoddard"/> His was one of two books considered likely to win, the other being ''[[Rites of Passage (novel)|Rites of Passage]]'' by [[William Golding]]. The judges decided only 30 minutes before the ceremony, giving the prize to Golding. Both novels had been seen as favourites to win leading up to the prize, and the dramatic "literary battle" between two senior writers made front-page news.<ref name="Stoddard"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://archive.guardian.co.uk/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=R1VBLzE5ODAvMTAvMjIjQXIwMDEwNA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom |title=Lord of the novel wins the Booker prize |first= W. L. |last=Webb|work=The Guardian |date=22 October 1980}} p. 1.</ref>

[[Alice Munro]]'s ''[[Who Do You Think You Are? (book)|The Beggar Maid]]'' was shortlisted in 1980, and remains the only short-story collection to be shortlisted.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jul/13/big-novels-2012|title=Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Chatto & Windus, November) |work=The Guardian |date=13 July 2012 |access-date=13 July 2012 |quote=As the only writer to sneak on to the Booker shortlist for a collection of short stories (with ''The Beggar Maid'' in 1980), Alice Munro easily deserves to end our list of the year's best fiction.}}</ref>

In 1981, nominee [[John Banville]] wrote a letter to ''[[The Guardian]]'' requesting that the prize be given to him so that he could use the money to buy every copy of the longlisted books in Ireland and donate them to libraries, "thus ensuring that the books not only are bought but also read&nbsp;– surely a unique occurrence".<ref name="Stoddard"/><ref>Banville, John (15 October 1981), [http://archive.guardian.co.uk/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=R1VBLzE5ODEvMTAvMTUjQXIwMTQwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom "A&nbsp;novel way of striking a 12,000 Booker Prize bargain"], ''The Guardian'', Letters to the editor, p. 14.</ref>

Judging for the 1983 award produced a draw between [[J. M. Coetzee]]'s ''[[Life & Times of Michael K]]'' and [[Salman Rushdie]]'s ''[[Shame (Rushdie novel)|Shame]]'', leaving chair of judges [[Fay Weldon]] to choose between the two. According to Stephen Moss in ''The Guardian'', "Her arm was bent and she chose Rushdie", only to change her mind as the result was being phoned through.<ref name="Moss"/> At the award ceremony, [[Fay Weldon]] used her speech to attack the assembled publishers, accusing them of exploiting and undervaluing authors. "I will ask you if in your dealings with authors you are really being fair, and honourable, and right? Or merely getting away with what you can? If you are not careful, you will kill the goose that lays your golden eggs."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mackay-Smith |first1=Donna |title=How Fay Weldon's 'anti-publisher speech' became one of the Booker Prize's bombshell moments |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/how-fay-weldons-anti-publisher-speech-became-one-of-the-booker-prizes |website=The Booker Prizes |date=6 January 2023|access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

In 1992, the jury split the prize between [[Michael Ondaatje]]'s ''[[The English Patient]]'' and [[Barry Unsworth]]'s ''[[Sacred Hunger]]''. This prompted the foundation to draw up a rule that made it mandatory for the appointed jury to make the award to just a single author/book.

The choice of [[James Kelman]]'s book ''[[How Late It Was, How Late]]'' as 1994 Booker Prize winner proved to be one of the most controversial in the award's history.<ref>{{cite news |first=Robert |last=Winder|author-link=Robert Winder |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/highly-literary-and-deeply-vulgar-if-james-kelmans-booker-novel-is-rude-it-is-in-good-company-argues-1442639.html |title=Highly literary and deeply vulgar: If James Kelman's Booker novel is rude, it is in good company, argues Robert Winder |work=The Independent |date=13 October 1994 |quote=James Kelman's victory in the Booker Prize on Tuesday night has already provoked a not altogether polite discussion&nbsp;...}}</ref> Rabbi [[Julia Neuberger]], one of the judges, declared it "a&nbsp;disgrace" and left the event, later deeming the book to be "crap"; [[WHSmith]]'s marketing manager called the award "an embarrassment to the whole book trade"; [[Waterstones]] in [[Glasgow]] sold a mere 13 copies of Kelman's book the following week.<ref>{{cite news |first=Maeve |last=Walsh |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/it-was-five-years-ago-today-how-controversial-it-was-how-controversial-1081947.html |title=It was five years ago today: How controversial it was, how controversial |work=The Independent |date=21 March 1999}}</ref> In 1994, ''The Guardian''{{'}}s literary editor [[Richard Gott]], citing the lack of objective criteria and the exclusion of American authors, described the prize as "a&nbsp;significant and dangerous iceberg in the sea of British culture that serves as a symbol of its current malaise".<ref name="Stoddard"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://archive.guardian.co.uk/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=R1VBLzE5OTQvMDkvMDUjQXIwMjIwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom |title=Novel way to run a lottery |last=Gott |first= Richard|work=The Guardian |page=22|date=5 September 1994}}</ref>

In 1996, [[A. L. Kennedy]] served as a judge; in 2001, she called the prize "a&nbsp;pile of crooked nonsense" with the winner determined by "who knows who, who's sleeping with who, who's selling drugs to who, who's married to who, whose turn it is".<ref name="Moss" />

In 1997, the decision to award [[Arundhati Roy]]'s ''[[The God of Small Things]]'' proved controversial. [[Carmen Callil]], chair of the previous year's Booker judges, called it an "execrable" book and said on television that it should not even have been on the shortlist. Booker Prize chairman [[Martyn Goff]] said Roy won because nobody objected, following the rejection by the judges of [[Bernard MacLaverty]]'s shortlisted book due to their dismissal of him as "a&nbsp;wonderful short-story writer and that ''[[Grace Notes]]'' was three short stories strung together".<ref>{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Glaister |url=http://www.sawnet.org/news/news220.html |title=Popularity pays off for Roy |work=The Guardian |date=14 October 1997 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050227170112/http://sawnet.org/news/news220.html |archive-date=27 February 2005}}</ref>

===2000–2019===
Before 2001, each year's longlist of nominees was not publicly revealed.<ref>{{cite news |first=Emma |last=Yates |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/aug/15/bookerprize2001.thebookerprize |title=Booker Prize longlist announced for first time |newspaper=The Guardian |date=15 August 2001 |access-date=15 August 2001}}</ref> From 2001, the longlisted novels started to be published each year, and in 2007 the number of nominees was capped at 12 or 13 each year.<ref name="thebookerprizes"/>

[[John Sutherland (author)|John Sutherland]], who was a judge for the 1999 prize, was reported as saying in 2001:

{{Blockquote|There is a well-established London literary community. [[Salman Rushdie|Rushdie]] doesn't get shortlisted now because he has attacked that community. That is not a good game plan if you want to win the Booker. [[Norman Mailer]] has found the same thing in the US – you have to "be a citizen" if you want to win prizes. The real scandal is that [Martin] [[Martin Amis|Amis]] has never won the prize. In fact, he has only been shortlisted once and that was for ''[[Time's Arrow (novel)|Time's Arrow]]'', which was not one of his strongest books. That really is suspicious. He pissed people off with ''[[Dead Babies (novel)|Dead Babies]]'' and that gets lodged in the culture. There is also the feeling that he has always looked towards America.<ref name="Moss">{{cite news |first=Stephen |last=Moss |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/sep/18/bookerprize2001.thebookerprize |title=Is the Booker fixed? |newspaper=The Guardian |date=18 September 2001 |access-date=18 September 2001}}</ref>}}

In 2001, [[Peter Carey (novelist)|Peter Carey]] become the first author to win the Booker Prize for a second time.<ref>{{cite news |last=McCrum |first=Robert|author-link=Robert McCrum |date=16 August 2015 |title=The 100 best novels: No 100 – True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey (2000) |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/16/100-best-novels-true-history-kelly-gang-peter-carey |access-date=8 February 2024 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> Carey was the first of four writers to have won the Booker Prize twice, the others being [[J. M. Coetzee]], [[Hilary Mantel]], and [[Margaret Atwood]].

The Booker Prize created a permanent home{{when|date=February 2025}} for the archives from 1968 to present at [[Oxford Brookes University]] Library. The Archive, which encompasses the administrative history of the Prize from 1968 to date, collects together a diverse range of material, including correspondence, publicity material, copies of both the Longlists and the Shortlists, minutes of meetings, photographs and material relating to the awards dinner (letters of invitation, guest lists, seating plans). Embargoes of ten or twenty years apply to certain categories of material; examples include all material relating to the judging process and the Longlist prior to 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.brookes.ac.uk/library/collections/special-collections/publishing-and-literary-prizes/booker-prize-archive |title=Booker Prize Archive |publisher=Oxford Brookes University |access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref>

Between 2005 and 2008, the Booker Prize alternated between writers from Ireland and India. "Outsider" [[John Banville]] began this trend in 2005 when his novel ''[[The Sea (novel)|The Sea]]'' was selected as a surprise winner:<ref>{{cite news|first=John|last=Ezard|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/oct/11/books.bookerprize2005?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487|title=Irish stylist springs Booker surprise|newspaper=The Guardian|date=11 October 2005|access-date=11 October 2005}}</ref> [[Boyd Tonkin]], literary editor of ''[[The Independent]]'', famously condemned it as "possibly the most perverse decision in the history of the award" and rival novelist [[Tibor Fischer]] poured scorn on Banville's victory.<ref>{{cite news|first=Sarah|last=Crown|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/culturevultureblog/2005/oct/10/banvillescoops1?INTCMP=SRCH|title=Banville scoops the Booker|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 October 2005|access-date=10 October 2005}}</ref> [[Kiran Desai]] of India won in 2006. [[Anne Enright]]'s 2007 victory came about due to a jury split over [[Ian McEwan]]'s novel ''[[On Chesil Beach]]''. The following year it was India's turn again, with [[Aravind Adiga]] narrowly defeating Enright's fellow Irishman [[Sebastian Barry]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Charlotte|last=Higgins|author-link=Charlotte Higgins|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2009/jan/28/costabookaward-poetry|title=How Adam Foulds was a breath away from the Costa book of the year award|newspaper=The Guardian|date=28 January 2009|access-date=28 January 2009}}</ref>

[[File:The Man Booker Prize 2015 logo.png|thumb|upright=0.75|2015 logo of the then Man Booker Prize]]

Historically, the winner of the Booker Prize was required to be a citizen of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], the [[Republic of Ireland]], or [[Zimbabwe]]. It was announced on 18 September 2013 that future Booker Prize awards would consider authors from anywhere in the world, so long as their work was in [[English language|English]] and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland.<ref name=Gompertz>[[Will Gompertz|Gompertz, Will]] (18 September 2013), [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24145501 "Global expansion for Booker Prize"], BBC News.</ref> This change proved controversial in literary circles. Former winner [[A. S. Byatt]] and former judge [[John Mullan (academic)|John Mullan]] said the prize risked diluting its identity, whereas former judge A. L. Kennedy welcomed the change.<ref name="Booker 2014">{{cite web |title=Meet The Man Booker Prize 2014 Judges |url=http://themanbookerprize.com/news/2013/12/12/meet-man-booker-prize-2014-judges |publisher=The Booker Prizes|date=12 December 2013}}</ref><ref name="BBC 2013-09-18" /><ref name="Cain">{{cite news|first=Sian|last=Cain|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/feb/02/publishers-call-on-man-booker-prize-to-drop-american-authors|title=Publishers call on Man Booker prize to drop American authors|work=The Guardian|date=2 February 2018|access-date=15 February 2018}}</ref> Following this expansion, the first winner not from the Commonwealth, Ireland, or Zimbabwe was American [[Paul Beatty]] in 2016. Another American, [[George Saunders]], won the following year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/oct/17/man-booker-prize-2017-second-american-author-george-saunders-lincoln-in-the-bardo |title=Man Booker prize goes to second American author in a row|first=Sian|last=Cain|work=The Guardian|date=17 October 2017|access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref> In 2018, publishers sought to reverse the change, arguing that the inclusion of American writers would lead to homogenisation, reducing diversity and opportunities everywhere, including in America, to learn about "great books that haven't already been widely heralded".<ref name="Cain"/>

[[Man Group]] announced in early 2019 that the year's prize would be the last of eighteen under their sponsorship.<ref>{{cite news|first=Caroline|last=Davies|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/jan/27/booker-prize-trustees-search-for-new-sponsor-after-funding-dropped|title=Booker prize trustees search for new sponsor after Man Group exit|work=The Guardian|date=27 January 2019|access-date=27 January 2019}}</ref> A new sponsor, [[Michael Moritz#Philanthropy|Crankstart]]&nbsp;– a [[charitable foundation]] run by [[Michael Moritz|Sir Michael Moritz]] and his wife, Harriet Heyman&nbsp;– then announced it would sponsor the award for five years, with the option to renew for another five years. The award title was changed to simply "The Booker Prize".<ref>{{cite news|first=Alison|last=Flood|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/28/booker-prize-silicon-valley-billionaire-takes-over-as-new-sponsor|title=Booker Prize: Silicon Valley Billionaire Takes Over as New Sponsor|work=The Guardian|date=28 February 2019|access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Bill|last=Gompertz|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-47393880|title=Booker Prize finds new funder in billionaire Sir Michael Moritz|work=BBC News|date=28 February 2019|access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref>

In 2019, despite having been unequivocally warned against doing so, the foundation's jury – under the chair [[Peter Florence]] – split the prize, awarding it to two authors, in breach of a rule established in 1993. Florence justified the decision, saying: "We came down to a discussion with the director of the Booker Prize about the rules. And we were told quite firmly that the rules state that you can only have one winner&nbsp;... and as we have managed the jury all the way through on the principle of consensus, our consensus was that it was our decision to flout the rules and divide this year's prize to celebrate two winners."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/booker-prize-split-between-atwood-and-evaristo-judges-rebel-against-rules-1098761|first=Mark |last=Chandler|author2= Benedicte Page|title=Booker double welcomed by booksellers |work= The Bookseller|date=14 October 2019|access-date=2020-02-15}}</ref> The two were British writer [[Bernardine Evaristo]] for her novel ''[[Girl, Woman, Other]]'' and Canadian writer [[Margaret Atwood]] for ''[[The Testaments]]''. Evaristo's win marked the first time the Booker had been awarded to a black woman, while Atwood's win, at 79, made her the oldest winner.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-10-16|title=Bernardine Evaristo becomes first black woman to win a Booker; all you need to know about her|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/margaret-atwood-bernardine-evaristo-booker-2019-6069458/|access-date=2020-06-03|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-10-15|title=Atwood and Evaristo share Booker Prize|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-50014906|access-date=2020-06-03}}</ref> Atwood had also previously won the prize in 2000.

=== 2020–present ===

In 2020, due to the [[COVID-19]] pandemic, the annual award ceremony was replaced with a livestream from the [[Roundhouse (venue)|Roundhouse]] in London, without the shortlisted authors in attendance. The winner was [[Douglas Stuart (writer)|Douglas Stuart]] for his debut novel ''[[Shuggie Bain]]'', which had been rejected by more than 30 publishers.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Booker Prize 2020 |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/2020 |website=The Booker Prizes}}</ref>

2021's small-scale ceremony, once again impacted by COVID-19, saw South African writer [[Damon Galgut]], who had been shortlisted in 2003 and 2010, win the prize for ''[[The Promise (Galgut novel)|The Promise]]''.

2022 saw a re-imagined winner ceremony at the Roundhouse, hosted by comedian [[Sophie Duker]] and featuring a keynote speech by singer [[Dua Lipa]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lipa |first1=Dua |title=Dua Lipa's Booker Prize speech: 'I wonder if authors realise how many gifts they give us' |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/dua-lipas-booker-prize-speech-i-wonder-if-authors-realise-how-many |website=The Booker Prizes|date=18 October 2022 |access-date=18 October 2022}}</ref> The prize was won by Sri Lankan author [[Shehan Karunatilaka]] for his second novel, ''[[The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida]]''.

In 2023, for the first time, the shortlist featured three writers named Paul<ref>{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Paul |title=Quiz: how well do you know the Booker Prize's Pauls? |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/quiz-how-well-do-you-know-the-booker-prizes-pauls |website=The Booker Prizes|date=28 September 2023 |access-date=28 September 2023}}</ref> ([[Paul Lynch (writer)|Paul Lynch]], [[Paul Murray (author)|Paul Murray]] and [[Paul Harding (author)|Paul Harding]]). The prize was won by Irish writer Paul Lynch for his novel ''[[Prophet Song]]''. In the media, reaction was mixed. In ''The Guardian'', Justine Jordan wrote that "This is a novel written to jolt the reader awake to truths we mostly cannot bear to admit",<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jordan |first1=Justine |title=Paul Lynch's timely Booker winner is a novel written to jolt the reader awake |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/26/prophet-song-paul-lynch-booker-prize-winning-novel-ireland-fascist-control |newspaper=The Guardian |date=26 November 2023}}</ref> while in ''[[Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'', Cal Revely-Calder wrote that ''Prophet Song'' is "political fiction at its laziest" and "the weak link in a strong shortlist".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Revely-Calder |first1=Cal |title=This year's Booker winner is political fiction at its laziest |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/booker-prize/booker-prize-2023-paul-lynch/|date=26 November 2023 |access-date=26 November 2023 |newspaper=The Telegraph}}</ref>

The 2024 prize was won by Samantha Harvey for ''Orbital'', the first book set in space to win the prize and, at 136 pages, the second shortest book to win the Booker<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-12 |title=Everything you need to know about Orbital by Samantha Harvey, winner of the Booker Prize 2024 {{!}} The Booker Prizes |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/everything-you-need-to-know-about-orbital-booker-prize-2024-winner |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=thebookerprizes.com |language=en}}</ref> after Penelope Fitzgerald's ''Offshore''. Harvey was also the first woman to win the Booker since 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Creamer |first=Ella |date=2024-11-12 |title=Samantha Harvey's 'beautiful and ambitious' Orbital wins Booker prize |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/nov/12/orbital-by-samantha-harvey-wins-booker-prize-2024 |access-date=2025-01-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Since winning the Booker, ''Orbital'' became a UK bestseller, selling over 20,000 print copies in the UK in the week following its win, making it the fastest selling winner of the Booker Prize since records began.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-10 |title=The Booker Prize 2025: judges announced and submissions now open {{!}} The Booker Prizes |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/media-centre/press-releases/the-booker-prize-2025-judges-announced-and-submissions-now-open |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=thebookerprizes.com |language=en}}</ref>