Samantha Harvey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samantha Harvey
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Harvey in 2019
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| Born | 1975 (age 49–50) Kent, England |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Alma mater | Bath Spa University |
| Genre | Literary fiction |
| Years active | 2008–present |
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| Notable awards |
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Samantha Harvey (born in 1975) is a talented English writer who creates novels. She won the important 2024 Booker Prize for her book Orbital. This novel mixes different styles, like literary fiction (books about real-life issues), science fiction (stories about the future or space), and even philosophy (thinking about big ideas).
Contents
Samantha Harvey's Early Life and Education
Samantha Harvey spent her first ten years in a place called Ditton, Kent, which is close to Maidstone. After her parents got divorced, her mother moved to Ireland. Samantha then spent her teenage years living in different places. She lived in York, Sheffield, and even Japan for a while.
She went to university to study philosophy. She studied at the University of York and the University of Sheffield. Later, in 2005, she finished a special writing course at Bath Spa University. She also earned a PhD in creative writing, which means she studied writing at a very high level.
Samantha Harvey's Writing Career
Samantha Harvey's first novel was called The Wilderness, published in 2009. This book is told from the point of view of a man who is developing Alzheimer's disease. It shows how the disease affects his thoughts and memories.
Her second novel, All Is Song, came out in 2012. This story is about doing what is right for your family and yourself. It makes you think about whether to follow rules or question them. Samantha Harvey has said this book is a modern version of the life of Socrates, a famous ancient Greek thinker.
Her third novel, Dear Thief, was published in 2014. It is written as a long letter from a woman to a friend who is not there. The letter talks about the feelings that come from a complicated love situation. People say this novel was inspired by the song "Famous Blue Raincoat" by Leonard Cohen.
In March 2018, her fourth novel, The Western Wind, was released. This book is about a priest living in Somerset during the 1400s.
The Shapeless Unease is a non-fiction book she wrote. It describes her personal experience with severe insomnia, which is when someone has a lot of trouble sleeping.
Her 2023 novel, Orbital, won the important 2024 Booker Prize. This story takes place on a space station. It describes one day as the station flies around Earth. A famous writer named Mark Haddon said it was "one of the most beautiful novels" he had read in a long time.
Samantha Harvey's short stories have appeared in magazines like Granta. They have also been played on BBC Radio 4. She writes reviews for newspapers like The Guardian and The New York Times. She has also written essays and articles for other well-known publications.
Many of Samantha Harvey's novels have been considered for major awards. These include the Man Booker Prize, the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction, and the Walter Scott Prize. In 2010, a TV show called The Culture Show named her one of the 12 best new British novelists. In 2019, her book The Western Wind won the Staunch Book Prize.
Her books are published in the UK by Jonathan Cape and in the US by Grove Atlantic. She also helps other writers. She teaches creative writing at Bath Spa University. She is also a mentor for new writers. She has been a judge for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. She also teaches writing courses every year in Spain.
Awards and Recognition
Samantha Harvey's writing style has been compared to that of Virginia Woolf, another famous writer. She has won several important awards for her books.
Major Awards and Nominations
Samantha Harvey's books have received many awards and nominations:
- In 2009, her first novel, The Wilderness, won the Betty Trask Prize. It was also shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction. It was also longlisted for the Man Booker Prize.
- In 2015, her novel Dear Thief was longlisted for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. It was also shortlisted for the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.
- In 2019, The Western Wind won the Staunch Book Prize. It was also shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize.
- In 2024, her novel Orbital won the prestigious Booker Prize. It also won the Hawthornden Prize and The InWords Literary Award.
Translations of Her Books
Samantha Harvey's novels have been translated into many different languages. This means that people all over the world can read her stories. Her books are available in Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Norwegian, Portuguese, and Romanian.
See also
In Spanish: Samantha Harvey para niños
