British writer Samantha Harvey recently won the prestigious Booker Prize for fiction for her novel Orbital. The ceremony took place on November 12, 2024, at Old Billingsgate in central London. Orbital tells the story of six astronauts aboard the International Space Station, observing Earth’s changing condition as they experience 16 sunrises and sunsets within a single day. The novel addresses themes like Earth’s fragility and the human effect on nature. Harvey began the project during the COVID-19 pandemic and conducted research by reading astronaut accounts and watching live footage from the space station. The Booker Prize, awarded to the best English-language novels published in the U.K. or Ireland, has long recognized literary excellence.

Harvey’s work has received widespread praise for its powerful message on climate change. The author highlights how human actions harm the planet and, in turn, affect humanity. Experts have commended Orbital for its crystalline prose, with Edmund de Waal, chair of the Booker judging panel, calling it “miraculous.” The novel encourages thoughtful reading and reflection. Recent technological advancements in space observation have heightened global attention to environmental concerns, aligning with the novel’s contemplative tone. Harvey, who is the first British winner since 2020, expressed her excitement over the £50,000 prize, which she plans to use for a new bicycle, tax obligations, and travel to Japan.