Samantha Harvey Wins 2024 Booker Prize for 'Orbital'

Samantha Harvey clinched the 2024 Booker Prize with 'Orbital', her novel set on the International Space Station. Written during lockdown, it captures Earth's beauty from space and has outsold recent Booker winners. Judges applauded its intense focus on our delicate world. Harvey will use the prize money to buy a new bike.

Samantha Harvey has been awarded the 2024 Booker Prize for her novel 'Orbital', a compelling narrative set during a single day aboard the International Space Station. Written during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the novel has resonated with readers and sales have surpassed those of previous winners, highlighting the book's success.

The Booker judges, celebrating its 55th year, commended Harvey for her "intensity of attention to the precious and precarious world." The prize, honoring English-language fiction, has been previously awarded to notable authors such as Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie.

The novel, which unfolded while Harvey was confined at home, draws parallels between her characters' isolation in space and pandemic-induced lockdowns. Over the span of 24 hours, the story's astronauts witness sixteen sunrises and sunsets, emphasizing the uniqueness of their environment. Harvey plans to dedicate her £50,000 prize to purchasing a new bicycle.

(With inputs from agencies.)