British writer M. John Harrison won the 2026 Booker Prize on Monday for his post-apocalyptic novel The End of Everything. The 81-year-old author, who has published 13 novels over six decades, became the oldest winner in the prize's history.

The award ceremony took place at Old Billingsgate in London. Harrison's novel follows a beachcomber and his aunt navigating life on England's southeast coast after an unexplained catastrophe collapses society and brings mysterious alien entities known as the iGhetti.

Judges praised the book for its ambitious writing and themes of catastrophe and understanding in uncertain times. Chair Mary Beard called it a unanimous choice that leaves readers with a touch of optimism despite the subject matter.

The novel marks the first time a work from the science fiction genre has taken the prize, according to Booker Prize officials. Harrison has long been associated with literary science fiction but rejects strict genre labels.

Five other authors were shortlisted, including previous winners Marlon James and Douglas Stuart, along with Elizabeth Strout, Luke Kennard, and Rebecca Perry. Each receives £2,500.

The Booker Prize recognizes the best novel written in English and published in the UK or Ireland. Harrison's win highlights a shift toward broader literary recognition beyond traditional categories.