British author M John Harrison has spoken about the ideas behind his award-winning novel The End of Everything after becoming the oldest person to win the Booker Prize. The 81-year-old writer received the literary honour for his 13th novel, which presents a post-apocalyptic world on the Kent coast. The book’s success is also a milestone for science fiction, as it is the first novel from the established science fiction world to win the prize in its 58-year history.
Harrison has spent decades challenging the boundaries between literary fiction and genre writing. He said he has never believed that writers should be limited by labels and has long wanted science fiction to be judged by the same standards as other forms of literature. The End of Everything follows characters trying to understand a strange world after a mysterious catastrophe. Its unusual creatures and uncertain setting allow the story to explore questions about human behaviour, technology and the future of society. The book has drawn attention for its unusual style and its mix of unsettling ideas with moments of humour.
The author said he does not feel especially hopeful about humanity’s future, arguing that people often fail to consider the consequences of their actions. He described fiction as a way to entertain readers while also warning them about problems they may prefer to ignore. Harrison’s win has brought renewed attention to a writer whose career began in the 1960s and who spent much of his working life outside the literary mainstream. His achievement may also encourage publishers and readers to look more closely at science fiction as a form capable of addressing serious social and political questions.
