Samantha Harvey becomes the first woman since 2019 to win the Booker Prize with Orbital, her groundbreaking space novel
Samantha Harvey's Orbital just won the 2024 Booker Prize, read about all the records the ‘space pastoral’ novel broke
In a groundbreaking moment for literature, British author Samantha Harvey has won the prestigious 2024 Booker Prize with her novel Orbital, making history as the first-ever Booker-winning book set in space. The announcement was made at a glittering ceremony held at London's Old Billingsgate, where she was awarded the £50,000 ( ₹53.7 lakh) prize. With this win, Harvey becomes the first woman since 2019 to win the Booker, marking a big milestone for women in literature. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated her win to those who “speak for and not against the Earth, for and not against the dignity of other humans, other life, and all the people who speak for, and call for, and work for peace”.
What is the book about?
Orbital takes readers on an extraordinary journey to the International Space Station, where a diverse crew of six astronauts and cosmonauts from around the world — America, Russia, Italy, the UK, and Japan — are stationed. The story explores how they grapple with existential questions and the effects of being so far from Earth. What is life without Earth? What is Earth without humanity?
As the crew rotates on the Space Station, travelling at a speed of over 17,000 miles per hour, they orbit the Earth 16 times in a single day. During these 24 hours, they witness breathtaking views of glaciers, deserts, oceans, and mountains, all while confronting their own sense of isolation and the fragility of human life. We get a glimpse of their lives back on Earth as they communicate with their family and as news of death and natural disasters reach them so far from Earth, they have never felt more part – or protective – of it.
A list of records Orbital shattered
Harvey’s win is not just significant for its content, but also for the records it has broken. For one, Orbital has not only become the best-selling book on the Booker Prize shortlist but has also outsold the last three Booker winners combined, up to the eve of their respective successes. The book also made history as the first Booker Prize-winning novel to take place in outer space, marking a new frontier for storytelling in the literary world.
Additionally, at just 136 pages long, Orbital is the second-shortest novel to win the Booker Prize in its history. The first was Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald which stands at 132 pages. Orbital's compressed narrative takes place within a mere 24-hour timeframe, the briefest of any shortlisted novel in recent years, showcasing Harvey’s ability to craft a compelling story with economy and precision. Samantha Harvey is also the first woman to win the Booker Prize since 2019, continuing the trend of strong female voices in contemporary literature. She was one of five women featured on this year’s record-making shortlist.
When asked what she would do with the grand prize, the author quipped, “This award is going to change my life. I need to buy myself a new bike, and it’s going to be a good bike.”