The Booker Prizes are prestigious literary awards given annually for the best original novel written in the English language and published in the United Kingdom. In 2018, the Booker Prize for Fiction was awarded to “Milkman” by Anna Burns. The book is set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and follows an unnamed 18-year-old girl who becomes the subject of gossip and speculation when she is pursued by a politically connected older man known as the milkman.
The judges praised “Milkman” for its distinctive narrative voice and the way it explores themes of identity, gender, and political conflict. Anna Burns became the first Northern Irish author to win the Booker Prize.
In addition to the Booker Prize for Fiction, the Booker Prize for International Fiction (formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize) was also awarded in 2018. It went to “Flights” by Olga Tokarczuk, a Polish author. “Flights” is a novel comprised of interconnected stories that explore themes of travel, movement, and the human condition.
Both “Milkman” and “Flights” received critical acclaim and gained significant attention following their respective wins, contributing to the literary legacies of Anna Burns and Olga Tokarczuk.
