Booker Prize Awarded to Author of 'The End of Everything'
British writer Michael John Harrison has won the 2026 Booker Prize for his novel 'The End of Everything.' At 81, he has become the oldest recipient of the award.
The winner was announced at a ceremony in London. Harrison was awarded £50,000 and the Booker Prize statuette. He has become the oldest laureate in the award's history, surpassing the previous record holder, Margaret Atwood, who received the prize at 79.
'The End of Everything' marked Harrison's first Booker nomination and was the shortest book on this year's shortlist. The writer had previously served as a judge for the prize.
The novel is set on the coast of the English county of Kent after a mysterious catastrophe and the invasion of beings called iGhetti. The protagonist, Philip Tennant, collects items washed ashore by the sea and lives with his elderly aunt Marnie. One day, he discovers a gelatinous creature: it grows rapidly, learns to speak, and begins issuing orders to people.
The judging panel was chaired by historian and television presenter Mary Beard. The winner was chosen unanimously after a full day of deliberations. Beard described the novel as a depiction of 'today's politics, seen through the lens of the future.' According to her, the book also portrays the apocalypse as an event that will prove incomprehensible, after which the old rules will cease to apply.
The previous Booker Prize was awarded to British writer of Hungarian descent David Szalay for his novel 'Flesh.' The book tells the story of István, who journeys from life in Hungary to London mansions before facing the collapse of his prosperity.
The Booker Prize is awarded annually for a work in English published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. Authors of any nationality may compete.
