The British writer Samantha Harvey has been awarded the Booker Prizethe most prestigious of English-speaking fiction literature, thanks to his novel Orbital, in which it narrates the conversations and thoughts of six astronauts on the International Space Station.
Harvey, who seemed surprised and excited when receiving the award, has admitted to feeling “overtaken” by the size of the prize.
“What we do to the Earth we do to ourselves. This award is dedicated to those who speak on behalf of, and not against, the Earth; and to those who speak on behalf of, and not against, the dignity of others,” he said in his acceptance speech.
With his victory, Harvey becomes the first woman since 2019 to win the Booker, winning among six finalists, only one of which was a man.
With its 136 pages, Orbital It is the second shortest bookafter Offshoreby Penelope Fitzgerald, in 1979, to win this prize worth 50,000 pounds.
The novel investigates the reflections about life on Earth of six astronauts on the International Space Station over 24 hours, in which they orbit the planet 16 times. During that time they will have to deal with the death of a loved one, the arrival of a typhoon and the fragility of human life.
The president of the jury, the writer and artist Edmund de Waalexplained that they looked for a book that “had breadth and resonance” and that they were “forced to share.”
“Samantha Harvey has written a novel propelled by the beauty of 16 sunrises and 16 twilights. “Everyone and no one is the topic, while six astronauts circle the Earth observing the passing of the weather across the fragility of borders and time zones,” said De Waal.
Harvey, who had already entered the list of nominees for this award in 2009 with The Wildernessthus becomes the d19th woman to win the Bookerby 36 men.