British author M. John Harrison won the Booker Prize on Monday for his novel "The End of Everything," which explores anxieties about artificial intelligence in a darkly satirical and post-apocalyptic Britain.
The 81-year-old Harrison became the oldest winner of the £50,000 ($67,000) prize, which boosts the winner's sales and prestige.
Harrison beat out shortlisted authors Marlon James, Douglas Stewart, Elizabeth Strout, Luke Kinnard, and Rebecca Perry.
"The End of Everything" triumphed thanks to its exceptional and ingenious writing style, as well as its immense ambition," said chair of the judging panel, Mary Beard, at a press conference.
The novel, Harrison's thirteenth, tells the story of Philip Tennant, a beachgoer, and his dementia-stricken aunt Marnie, on a stormy English coast invaded by mysterious beings known as "iGetties."
A mysterious catastrophe plunges the two characters into a bleak post-apocalyptic world where continental Europe seems to have vanished, and the appearance of iGetties, creatures capable of mimicking humans, raises questions about interaction with artificial intelligence.
The 198-page novel evokes Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pervasive influence of technology on daily life.
The author has previously stated that he drew inspiration from the 2008 financial crisis and wanted to write a novel about "society's inability to provide explanations."
The prize, which honors the best feature-length novels written in English by authors of any nationality and published in the past year, was awarded on Monday at a ceremony in London.
Last year, British-Hungarian author David Szalay won the prize for his novel "Fil Sh," a poignant story about a Hungarian immigrant in London.
0 Comments