M. John Harrison, 81, Wins the 2026 Booker Prize — the Oldest Winner in Its History
His 198-page dystopian satire 'The End of Everything,' chosen unanimously from 163 submissions, also makes Harrison the first science-fiction writer to take the prize.
British author M. John Harrison won the 2026 Booker Prize on Monday night in London for his novel "The End of Everything," becoming, at 81, the oldest author ever to receive the honor, Reuters and CNN reported.
The winning book is Harrison's 13th novel: a 198-page dystopian satire — the shortest on the six-book shortlist — following Phillip Tennent and his elderly aunt Marnie on England's south coast years after social order has broken down and mysterious entities known as the iGhetti have arrived, according to Reuters and CNN. The five judges, chaired by historian Mary Beard and including Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker, poet Raymond Antrobus, novelist Patricia Lockwood and critic Rebecca Liu, chose it unanimously from 163 submissions. Harrison received the £50,000 prize — about $67,000 — and the trophy from last year's winner, David Szalay, at Old Billingsgate.
The win carries two firsts. CNN reported it could be considered the first time a science-fiction novel has won the Booker; Harrison helped pioneer the "New Weird" movement that blended speculative fiction, horror and satire, The Times noted in its verdict. And at 81 he surpasses Margaret Atwood, who was 79 when she jointly won in 2019. Beard was adamant, The Times reported, that this was no lifetime-achievement award — six decades into his career, Harrison took the prize for the book in front of the judges.
