5 Booker Prize winning books that are a must read
Translated Hindi novel Tomb of Sand written by Geetanjali Shree has become the first Indian language book to win the International Booker Prize. The book was originally published in Hindi as Ret Samadhi and was translated into English by Daisy Rockwell. The Booker Prize is awarded annually to an English-language book published in the UK or Ireland. Here are five must-read Booker Prize-winning books.
Tomb of Sand
Published in 2021, the plot of Tomb of Sand is set in North India and talks about the story of an 80-year-old woman who suffers from deep depression after her husband passes away. However, she decides to gain a new perspective on life and overcome her depression. She travels to Pakistan to confront her past experiences and unresolved trauma left behind during the Partition.
Shuggie Bain
Written by Scottish-American writer Douglas Stuart and published in 2020, Shuggie Bain won the 2020 Booker Prize. The book is written in English with Scottish dialogues. The novel's plot is set in Glasgow in the 1980s. It tells the story of Shuggie, the youngest of the three children, who struggles to take care of his alcoholic mother Agnes while dealing with his own sexuality.
Girl, Woman, Other
Written by Bernardine Evaristo and published by Hamish Hamilton in 2019, the LGBT fiction co-won the 2019 International Booker Prize alongside The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. The novel explores the lives of 12 black British women over the course of several decades whose stories are interconnected. The women represent different cultures, sexual identities, and classes and talk about their personal life experiences and circumstances.
Bring Up the Bodies
Written by Hilary Mantel, Bring Up the Bodies is a historical novel that won the Booker Prize in 2012. The trilogy is a sequel to Wolf Hall and the final novel, The Mirror and the Light, was published in 2020. The novel explores the story of Thomas Cromwell, who served as Chief Minister to King Henry VIII, and the downfall of Anne Boleyn.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Written by Richard Flanagan and published in 2013, the fiction novel won the prestigious Booker Prize in 2014. The novel tells the story of an Australian doctor who is haunted by his past experiences as a Far East prisoner of war during the Burma Railway construction and his alleged love affair with the young wife of his uncle. It explores how memories alter perspectives.
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