The UK-based Booker Prize has been going for decades. It was started in 1969 by the wholesale distributor Booker Group Limited. If you’re not familiar, it’s an annual literature event that declares one judge-picked novel as the “best work of sustained fiction of the year, written in English and published in the UK or Ireland,” as the page puts it.
Currently, winners are awarded a cash prize of £50,000 (just over $60,000), plus a trophy and no doubt a pretty steep uptick in sales. Now, if you’ve heard of this prestigious honor, but have never checked it out, it can seem a bit daunting knowing which books to read to get an idea of what makes a prize-winning novel in the charity’s eyes.
This is where I come in. I’ve been following the Booker Prize for a few years now, and I felt it high time to give a list of novels to start off with. Many of these are simply personal recommendations, but there are also those that are generally regarded as fantastic stories in their own right. There will be some crossover in that, as well as some which I haven’t read myself, but whose reputation is widespread. This list will also contain a mixture of winners and those that were shortlisted but are still worthy of note in the literary community.
With that, here are 10 Booker Prize novels I feel represent a good range to start with if you’re thinking of checking the award out. These are not necessarily in any specific order. Of course, given that there have been hundreds of winners and those shortlisted over the years, 10 is only a tiny slice of what’s out there.
Orbital – Samantha Harvey (2024 winner)
While it’s tempting to suggest starting with the very first winner, I’m going to go the opposite route and recommend the most recent one. In 2024, Samantha Harvey won the Booker Prize with her short yet emotionally deep novel, Orbital.
It tells the story of six astronauts on board the International Space Station. The entire plot takes place over the course of 16 Earth orbits, which is the equivalent of one day to us here on terra firma. However, don’t be fooled into thinking it’s an action-packed sci-fi novel about peril or a deadly alien that hunts the crew in a game of cat-and-mouse.
One thing you’ll quickly learn about the Booker Prize is nominees are not known for being high-octane page-turners. They are often more introspective, emotional, or help encapsulate a milieu of the time. In this instance, Orbital is a beautifully written account of six people floating in space who are equal parts bonded, while also experiencing feeli♍ngs of loneliness.
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood (shortlisted in 1986)
Here is one that many of you will already be familiar with. The TV adaptation alone will ring bells with a few of you, but I’d wager plenty out there have read the book, either originally or because of its resurgence over the last few years.
Margaret Atwood’s chilling novel – which didn’t win the Booker Prize, but was at least shortlisted – imagines a dystopian society in which women are considered nothing more than breeders. Its feminist resistance symbolism is something that continues to resonate with many readers. Its recent popularity during President Trump’s first term is probably not a coincidence, and I dare say the book will continue to sell over the next four years.
Atwood herself is something of a literary superstar. She has been nominated for the Booker Prize an impressive six times, up there with such giants as Iris Murdoch and Ian McEwan. She won in 2019 with the sequel The Testaments, sharing the win with Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other (more on that later).
Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel (2009 winner)
Here’s one I haven’t read myself yet, but, much like The Handmaid’s Tale, has been given new life in the limelight thanks to a successful adaptation. This is one for history enthusiasts, no doubt, with smatterings of British politics thrown in, all set in Tudor England in 🌳the 1500s.
The story takes place during Henry VIII’s reign, with particular focus on the infamous politician Thomas Cromwell, whose influence on the monarchy is of great historical significance. Wolf Hall is also part of a trilogy, with Bring up the Bodies being published in 2012 and The Mirror and the Light releasing in 2020.
Sadly, Hilary Mantel passed away in 2022 from complications brought on by a stroke. However, she leaves beh🎀ind a healthy body of work, along with numerous accolades and prizes, including a Walter Scott Prize (2010), a UK Author of the Year Award (2012), and the Companion of Literature (2020), among others.
The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro (1989 winner)
I read this one very recently, which I think is what prompted me to start this list. It’s been on my TBR for some time, and I, rather shamefully, only acquired a copy of it about a year ago, despite knowing how highly regarded this modern classic is.
It’s often considered one of the greatest English novels in recent history. And I intend the word “English” in all its stiff upper lip glory. Ishiguro’s 1989 winner asks the reader to step into the shoes of an aging butler, Stevens, who serves his Lordship at Darlington Hall. Stevens is permitted to take time away, to drive across the English countryside. During the course of this journey, he reflects on his time as a butler over the decades. His prim and proper manner and loyalty to Lord Darlington seem at odds with an ever-changing world in post-WW2 Britain.
The Remains of the Day is definitely one of those Booker Prize-winning novels that, on the surface, is lacking in what you might call a plot. But its genius comes from its main character, its impeccable writing, and an unraveling of the past that allows the reader to see into the life of Stevens’ employer. Also, there’s a Merchant Ivory film based on it that stars Sir Anthony Hopkins. Must check that out, as well.
Life of Pi – Yann Martel (2002 winner)
I can hear what you’re thinking: “pretty much all of these books have been adapted to film or TV. Why not just watch them instead?” Well, in a lot of instances, there’s a reason why books make it to the big screen. Their stories resonate with people, which is what prize-winning novels are supposed to do, I’d argue. Plus, if you’re scrolling through this article, chances are you’re looking for something new to read anyway.
Life of Pi barely needs any introduction. Winning the Booker Prize in 2002, Martel’s literary masterpiece effectively centers around unreliable narration. When a cargo ship sinks, 16-year-old Pi barely escapes alive and now must share a lifeboat with a tiger named Richard Parker, a female orangutan, a hyena, and a zebra.
To me, Ang Lee’s film doesn’t do the novel a great amount of justice. It’s fine, but it’s a classic case of the book being better. But you are right, hypothetical critical reader. I shouldn’t count on this list being made up entirely of stories that have been adapted.
The Sellout – Paul Beatty (2016 winner)
Given that the Booker Prize is based in the UK, and champions books published in Britain, it may be a little off-putting to readers who aren’t from ol’ Blighty. However, it should be noted that non-UK authors can be nominated, which includes the aforementioned Yann Martel and Margaret Atwood (both of whom are Canadian).
However, over the years, the prize has opened its doors to even more writers, and Paul Beatty’s The Sellout is worthy of note for this reason. For starters, it’s the first novel by a US author to win the award. For another, in my eyes at least, it’s proof that you don’t have to write something highbrow, dense, or otherwise dry.
That’s not to say The Sellout isn’t sophisticated, but it’s one of the few Booker Prize novels (at least from what I’ve read) that’s actually funny. Not “droll” funny. Funny-funny. Comical, even. Its biting satire on race relations in the US is what creates its humor, as the novel’s protagonist seeks to reintroduce slavery. Don’t worry. It’s not as contentious as it sounds. It wouldn’t have been a winner if it was even the slightest bit problematic.
A Horse Walks Into a Bar – David Grossman (2017 winner)
Speaking of humor, David Grossman’s 2017 winning novel strongly suggests from the title alone that the reader is in for some yucks. However, despite the story taking place almost entirely in a comedy club – with the occasional flashback – the jokes from the onstage comedian are basically a side product. In all honesty, the book isn’t really about being funny.
Set in an Israeli town, A Horse Walks Into a Bar has us wi💃tness stand-up comic Dovaleh unveil a dark side of his past over the course of his set. Although he begins with some Middle Eastern jokes, it quickly makes way for the meat of his being there.
Many of us will have been in the room when a comedian is bombing on stage, or at least it’s not going quite to plan, so it’s interesting to see this in book form. Grossman almost forces us to bear witness to the emotional turmoil of Dovaleh, which is equal parts encapsulating, evocative of empathy, and a little bit hard to watch (or read, rather) as well. It should also be noted that this actually won the International Booker Prize, but I’m still counting it.
Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo (2019 winner)
I mentioned earlier how Evaristo’s novel shared the 2019 Booker Prize with Atwood’s The Testament. It must have been a difficult choice to make for them to settle on two novels (I must admit, I thought Salman Rushdie’s Quichotte was a shoo-in, but I digress). Sadly, this is another one I have yet to read. But it’s on my shelf at least, I swear.
Girl, Woman, Other is an important novel in terms of its portrayal of race and class in Britain. The story follows 12 characters over the course of many decades, who are embroiled in a search for meaning, a search for somewhere to call home, trying to f🌟it in, and their 🍸personal relationships.
It being a winner in 2019 is not a coincidence. At a time when Britain (and, indeed, the rest of the world) is talking about identities, Evaristo’s critically acclaimed novel touches on some key subjects, particularly when it comes to ethnicity. This, too, has been adapted into a TV series. I know, I know. I said I was going to try to avoid that sort of thing going forward, but there’s no denying that Girl, Woman, Other is a Booker Prize winner that has a lot of signꦛificance in our modern age.
The Sea, The Sea – Iris Murdoch (1978 winner)
We’ve looked at quite a few novels that I would consider to be pretty recent. From 2024’s Orbital to 2002’s Life of Pi, many of the ones I’ve talked about so far only really cover a small timeline of the prize’s history. So I thought I’d introduce something a little more vintage.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not just pulling something out of a hat to tick a “more than two decades old” box. Iris Murdoch’s The Sea, The Sea (so good they named it twice?) is typically held aloft as a literary tour de force. And much like many of the other novels listed here, it’s described as a wholly relatable story. It should also not be confused with John Banville’s The Sea, which won the Booker in 2005.
Murdoch’s 1978 book centers around Charles Arrowby, who’s retired from the theatrical world. His attempts to chronicle his life in a memoir are thwarted when he encounters his childhood sweetheart. It’s a tale about obsessions and relationships, all against the backdrop of an idyllic seaside locale.
Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie (1981 winner + 1993 Booker of Bookers + 2008 Best of the Booker)
Before his infamous run-in with the then-Ayatollah, who issued a fatwa (literally a “death warrant”) on the author after the publication of Satanic Verses in 1988, Salman Rushdie was already 𒀰one to watch out for on the literary scene.
From the title above, you can already see that Midnight’s Children wasn’t just a Booker Prize-winning novel. It’s essentially considered the best-ever book to win the prestigious award. Considering some of the alumni that have been shortlisted and/or have won over the decades, that’s a claim that only Rushdie has in terms of the Booker Prize. And for good reason.
Its epic tale of India’s independence in 1947 is intertwined with the birth of the Prime Minister’s child, Saleem Sinai. Its magical realism is what Rushdie would become well known for, even during his time in exile, and its lofty themes and phenomenal writing are what make the novel such a standout amongst all the ones that have come about since 1969. It’s a bit more dense than some of the others listed here, but there’s a reason it’s considered the .
Published: Jan 20, 2025 07:15 am