Booker Prize 2012: Complete list of winners

Hilary Mantel made a triumphant return to the prestigious Booker Prize shortlist in 2012 with Bring Up the Bodies, the sequel to her acclaimed 2009 novel Wolf Hall. The award, officially known as the Man Booker Prize during this period, recognized Mantel’s masterful second volume in her Tudor saga, which plunges readers back into Thomas Cromwell’s perspective as he navigates the treacherous politics surrounding Henry VIII’s fall-out with Anne Boleyn. This win marked a remarkable moment in Booker Prize history, as Mantel became only the fourth author ever to win the prize twice—a distinction that underscored both her literary achievement and the exceptional quality of her sprawling historical fiction.

The 2012 Booker Prize selection was particularly significant because it highlighted the literary establishment’s deep appreciation for ambitious, character-driven historical novels at a time when such works could easily be dismissed as populist entertainment. Bring Up the Bodies proved that meticulously researched, densely layered fiction about real historical figures could command the same critical respect as contemporary literary fiction. Mantel’s victory cemented her status as one of the foremost novelists of her generation and sent her legions of devoted readers rushing to catch up with Cromwell’s continuing story.

Below you’ll find the complete details of the 2012 Booker Prize winner and the broader context of this pivotal year in literary awards.

Fiction

• Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel