M. John Harrison, 81, wins the 2026 Booker Prize for "The End of Everything" — the oldest winner in the prize's history
M. John Harrison has won the 2026 Booker Prize for his novel "The End of Everything", the Booker Prize Foundation announced at a ceremony in London on Monday. At 81, Harrison is the oldest winner in the prize's history. The judges, chaired by Mary Beard, agreed unanimously after a day debating the six shortlisted novels. Harrison receives £50,000; it is his first Booker nomination and the first win for his publisher, Serpent's Tail. Beard said the win was not a lifetime achievement award.
Key points
- Harrison, 81, is the oldest Booker winner ever; the judges' decision was unanimous.
- He receives £50,000, on his first Booker nomination, with a first win for Serpent's Tail.
- At 198 pages, "The End of Everything" was the shortest novel on the six-book shortlist.
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What happened
The Booker Prize, founded in 1969, is awarded to the best English-language novel published in the UK and Ireland and is known for transforming writers' careers. This year's shortlist included two former winners, Marlon James and Douglas Stuart, alongside Elizabeth Strout, Rebecca Perry and Luke Kennard.
What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- The winner, the unanimous decision and the prize details, from the Booker Prize Foundation's own announcement.
What we don't know yet
- How the win changes sales and Harrison's next book — too early to say.
Claim by claim
Show all claims (3)
Why this label: The unanimous decision and Beard's words are the Booker Prize Foundation's own announcement, read in full. CNN's report of the same ceremony is in agreement.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The age, the record, the prize money and the page count are carried by CNN and AP reporting of the announcement; the first nomination and Serpent's Tail's first win are stated in the Foundation's own announcement. Beard said the award was not a lifetime achievement prize, in the Irish Times' report of the ceremony carried via EuropeSays.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The plot and Harrison's own account of the book are the Foundation's own published material, read in full.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why it matters
A science-fiction writer winning the Booker at 81, on his first nomination after a 60-year career, is a landmark for the prize — and the judges were at pains to say the book won on its own merits, not as a career honour.
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- Latest
Published — the winner is confirmed by the Booker Prize Foundation's own announcement.