Booker Prize 2022: who won the literary prize - Shahan Karunatilaka’s novel explained, how much did he win?

Sri Lankan author Shahan Karunatilaka has won the Booker Prize 2022.

Karunatilaka won the top literary prize for his novel ‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida’. Other authors in the shortlist included Alan Garner, Claire Keegan and NoViolet Bulawayo.

The ceremony was hosted on 17 October at London’s Roundhouse. It was hosted by the Queen Consort, who was present to award Karunatilaka with the prize.

What is The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida about?

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida follows the story of the titual character of Maali Almeida, a war photographer, gambler and closeted gay man living in Colombo, Sri Lanka during the 1990s civil war. The story is described as a comic murder mystery.

Upon winning the acclaimed prize, Karuantilaka said: “To make any longlist requires luck … to have a novel about Sri Lanka’s chaotic past come out just when the world is watching Sri Lanka’s chaotic present also requires an alignment of dark forces.

“Unlike my protagonist Maali Almeida, I don’t gamble. So I don’t expect to roll two more sixes, though I will scream with joy if I do.”

You can buy The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida via Waterstones, here.

Who was nominated for the Booker Prize 2022?

The longlist for the Booker Prize was announced in July. This was soon whittled down to a five-book shortlist in September.

The books and authors which made the shortlist were:

• The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida - Shahan Karunatilaka
• The Trees - Percival Everett
• Glory - NoViolet Bulawayo
• Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan
• Treacle Walker - Alan Garner

Who were the Booker Prize 2022 judges?

In 2022, the Booker Prize judging panel was made up of Neil MacGregor, Shahidha Bari, Helen Castor, M. John Harrison and Alain Mabanckou. MacGregor, who will chair the judges, said the panel had read and discussed 169 works of fiction over the last seven months before deciding on the longlist together, and later the shortlist.

Of Karunatilaka’s win, he added: “It’s a book that takes the author on a rollercoaster journey through life and death, right to what the author describes as the dark heart of the world and there the reader finds to their surprise joy, tenderness, love and loyalty.”

What did Shahan Karunatilaka win?

Along with being given the literary gols standard, Karunatilaka also walked away with a hefty bonus. He was awarded £25,000 for winning the prize.

Karunatilaka was handed this by the 2021 winner, Damon Galgut. He was also given a special designer-bound edition of his novel.

The shortlisted nominees were also awarded £2,500 for being one of the last five authors in the running.

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