M. John Harrison, oldest Booker winner, takes prize for 'The End of Everything'

M. John Harrison has won the Booker Prize for his novel "The End of Everything". He is the oldest winner in the award's history. The winner was announced at a ceremony in London, according to France 24/AFP, The Hindu and Euronews.

Classicist Mary Beard chaired the judging panel. The shortlist had six novels. Harrison beat Marlon James, Douglas Stuart, Elizabeth Strout, Luke Kennard and Rebecca Perry. The prize is open to novels written in English by writers of any nationality. Last year's prize went to David Szalay for "Flesh".

The novel is set in the near future on the English coast, after an unspecified catastrophe. It follows a beachcomber who lives with his aunt. In a statement, Beard called it "the politics of now seen through the lens of the future", France 24 reported.

According to France 24 and The Hindu, which carry AFP-based reporting, Harrison is 81. He was born in Rugby, England, in 1945. The prize comes with £50,000 ($67,000). It was his first time on the shortlist. The book is his 13th novel and runs to 198 pages. Its main characters are Phillip Tennent and his aunt Marnie. Mysterious objects known as the iGhetti, which can imitate humans, invade the coast. The novel alludes to Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and technology in daily life. Harrison's earlier works include the Viriconium saga (1971-1984) and "Light" (2002).

According to Euronews, the panel included musician Jarvis Cocker. Euronews also reports that James and Stuart were both former winners. A win by either would have made them the fifth double winner. Euronews says the prize was founded in 1969.

What is disputed

France 24 and The Hindu say the judges chose six books from 163 entries. Euronews calls the 163 a longlist. Euronews spells one finalist's name "Douglas Stewart". The other outlets use "Douglas Stuart".

What each side says

Beard said the book was "ahead in terms of both its extraordinary expert writing, but also huge ambition", according to France 24. She said concerns about AI feature prominently in it. In an earlier interview with AFP, she said: "I think for the future it's inevitable that that will be on the agenda. You can't bury your head in the sand about that." Other judges, who are not named, wanted books that could not be replicated by AI, according to France 24 and The Hindu.

France 24 quoted Harrison as saying: "Current affairs provided the themes and the satire." He has previously cited the 2008 financial crisis as an inspiration. Before the win, Euronews quoted him as saying he had been "working for 40 to 50 years to shift the balance" towards treating science fiction as literary fiction. Critics called his shortlisting overdue.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not name the previous oldest winner. They do not include a statement from the Booker Prize Foundation.

Analysis

Harrison's win may draw wider attention to the debate he has long joined: whether well-written science fiction belongs in literary fiction. The judges' comments also place artificial intelligence on the prize's agenda. Beard expects the panel to consider AI's role in publishing and writing. How that might shape future judging is not yet clear. Readers and publishers may also see the result as a sign that age and late recognition are no barrier to the award. These remain possible outcomes, not certainties. France 24 and The Hindu note that the award brings the winner a boost in sales and profile; the reports do not describe publisher responses.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.