The winners of the Orwell Prizes, given annually to “the work which comes closest to George Orwell’s ambition ‘to make political writing into an art,’” were revealed at a ceremony in London on Thursday evening.
Ben Lerner was named the winner of the political fiction book prize for Transcription, his novel about a man whose plan to interview his 90-year-old mentor goes awry after he drops his smartphone in a sink, rendering it useless. In a starred review, a critic for Kirkus called the book “a tart meditation on narrative and integrity.”
Fiammetta Rocco, chair of judges for the award, said, “A forensic study of our insatiable appetite for new technology, it explores the unreliable stories we tell ourselves about hunger, love and connection. It is about dying with dignity and growing up in a new world. It’s funny, brainy and timely. Lerner deserves to be a household name.”
The political writing book prize went to Karen Bartlett for Escape From Kabul, which tells the story of female judges in Afghanistan after the country’s takeover by the Taliban; some were able to flee and others were not.
Chair of judges Rohan Silva said, “The plight of Afghanistan’s immensely brave female judges in the face of Islamic fundamentalism is a gripping tale—and Karen Bartlett tells it with deep reserves of empathy and compassion. The book is truly Orwellian in the most positive sense, and a richly merited winner.”
The Orwell Prizes were established in 1994. Previous winners include Colson Whitehead for The Nickel Boys, Tom Crewe for The New Life, and Patrick Radden Keefe for Say Nothing.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
