Booker Prize 2022: Complete list of winners

The 2022 Booker Prize for Fiction went to Shehan Karunatilaka for The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, a stunning debut that captivated judges and readers alike. Set against the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s brutal civil war, Karunatilaka’s novel follows a ghost navigating the afterlife while seeking answers about his own mysterious death. The book’s inventive structure—blending noir sensibilities with Buddhist philosophy and dark humor—marks a significant moment for the Booker Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards for English-language fiction published in the UK and Commonwealth.

What makes Karunatilaka’s win particularly striking is the novel’s unflinching examination of violence, loss, and redemption in a geopolitical context that doesn’t often take center stage in major international literary prizes. The Booker Prize judges recognized not just the book’s literary ambition but its emotional depth and the fresh voice it brings to conversations about conflict and memory. For those following the Booker Prize 2022 awards season, this selection signaled the prize’s continued commitment to championing diverse narratives and experimental storytelling from around the globe.

Here are the complete details from the 2022 Booker Prize announcement:

Fiction

• The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka