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BOOKER PRIZE 2024

14th November, 2024

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Picture Courtesy:THE HINDU

Context:

Recently the British writer Samantha Harvey won the Booker Prize for her space-station novel 'Orbital'.

About the Booker Prize:
The Booke Prize is a leading international award for best literary work of the year on fiction, originally written in English.

It was founded in the United Kingdom in 1969 and though not initially but now it is open for the whole world.

The award is given by the Booker Prize Foundation, a registered charity established in 2002 and inaugurated in 2005.

A cash prize of £50,000 is given to the winner and £2,500 to the shortlisted authors.

Eligibility:

  • Originally written in English.
  • Published in the UK and Ireland in the year of the prize.
  • Published by a registered UK or Irish imprint.

Significance of this year’s prize: 

  • First Booker win for a British author since 2020.
  • First female winner since 2019.
  • This year five women were shortlisted which is the highest representation to date.

Some previous winners are Ian McEwan, Margaret Atwood, and Paul Lynch.

About the novel ‘Orbital’:

The author describes ‘Orbital’ as a space pastoral.

It is about 6 astronauts orbiting the earth.

The novel talks about over 16 sunrises and sunsets.

The book is narrated in the form of conversation among the characters.

It also reflects on isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source:

THE HINDU

Practice Question

Q:Consider the following statements regarding the Booker Prize:

  1. It is awarded for the best literary work of the year on fiction, translated into English.
  2. It recognizes authors from the UK and Ireland only, however, the publisher can be from anywhere worldwide.
  3. It gives a cash prize of £50,000 to the winner.

Select the correct answer:

a. 1 only

b. 1 and 2

c. 3 only

d. 1 and 3

Answer: c

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect.

The Booke Prize is a leading international award for best literary work of the year on fiction, originally written in English.

Statement 2 is incorrect.

Initially, the prize was awarded to the authors of UK and Irish origin only, but now it is open worldwide regardless of the origin.

Statement 3 is correct.

A cash prize of £50,000 is given to the winner and £2,500 to the shortlisted authors.