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Mantel named Booker prize winner Mantel named Booker prize winner
(18 minutes later)
Author Hilary Mantel has been named Man Booker Prize winner for her historical novel Wolf Hall.Author Hilary Mantel has been named Man Booker Prize winner for her historical novel Wolf Hall.
Mantel, 57, beat five other shortlisted authors, including Sarah Waters and JM Coetzee, with her book based on Henry VIII's adviser Thomas Cromwell.Mantel, 57, beat five other shortlisted authors, including Sarah Waters and JM Coetzee, with her book based on Henry VIII's adviser Thomas Cromwell.
On stage she said that if winning the Booker Prize was like being in a train crash "at this moment I am happily flying through the air".On stage she said that if winning the Booker Prize was like being in a train crash "at this moment I am happily flying through the air".
The writer received the £50,000 prize at a ceremony at London's Guildhall.The writer received the £50,000 prize at a ceremony at London's Guildhall.
Mantel told the gathered audience that it had taken her about 20 years to decide whether to write this particular book.Mantel told the gathered audience that it had taken her about 20 years to decide whether to write this particular book.
"I couldn't begin until I felt secure enough to say to my publisher - just what a publisher always wants to hear - 'this will take me several years you know'. But they took it on the chin.""I couldn't begin until I felt secure enough to say to my publisher - just what a publisher always wants to hear - 'this will take me several years you know'. But they took it on the chin."
She added: "When I began the book I knew I had to do something very difficult to do, I had to interest the historians, I had to amuse the jaded palate of the critical establishment and most of all I had to capture the imagination of the general reader. Mantel, who is now working on a sequel, also beat AS Byatt with the novel The Children's Book, Adam Foulds for The Quickening Maze and Simon Mawer for The Glass Room.
Waters was shortlisted for her book, The Little Stranger and Coetzee had been in the running for his fictionalised memoir Summertime.
"When I began the book I knew I had to do something very difficult, I had to interest the historians, I had to amuse the jaded palate of the critical establishment and most of all I had to capture the imagination of the general reader," Mantel said.
We thought it was an extraordinary piece of story-telling Chairman of judges James NaughtieWe thought it was an extraordinary piece of story-telling Chairman of judges James Naughtie
Chairman of judges James Naughtie said: "Our decision was based on the sheer bigness of the book. The boldness of its narrative, its scene setting.Chairman of judges James Naughtie said: "Our decision was based on the sheer bigness of the book. The boldness of its narrative, its scene setting.
"The extraordinary way that Hilary Mantel has created what one of the judges has said was a contemporary novel, a modern novel, which happens to be set in the 16th Century."The extraordinary way that Hilary Mantel has created what one of the judges has said was a contemporary novel, a modern novel, which happens to be set in the 16th Century.
"We thought it was an extraordinary piece of story-telling.""We thought it was an extraordinary piece of story-telling."
Despite that, he revealed it had not been an "unanimous decision, but it was a decision with which we were all content".Despite that, he revealed it had not been an "unanimous decision, but it was a decision with which we were all content".
Hilary Mantel reads from Wolf Hall Bookmakers favourite
Mantel, who was made CBE in 2006, saw her first novel, Every Day is Mother's Day, published in 1985.Mantel, who was made CBE in 2006, saw her first novel, Every Day is Mother's Day, published in 1985.
Its sequel, Vacant Possession, followed a year later.Its sequel, Vacant Possession, followed a year later.
Hilary Mantel reads from Wolf Hall
In 1989 she won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize for Fludd, then A Place of Greater Safety scooped the Sunday Express Book Of The Year award in 1993.In 1989 she won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize for Fludd, then A Place of Greater Safety scooped the Sunday Express Book Of The Year award in 1993.
Three years later Mantel was presented with the Hawthornden Prize for An Experiment in Love.Three years later Mantel was presented with the Hawthornden Prize for An Experiment in Love.
She was also shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Orange Prize for Fiction, both in 2006, for the novel Beyond Black.She was also shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Orange Prize for Fiction, both in 2006, for the novel Beyond Black.
Mantel had been the bookmaker's favourite to win the award.Mantel had been the bookmaker's favourite to win the award.
William Hill had offered odds at 10/11 - the shortest odds it has ever given a book to win the prize.William Hill had offered odds at 10/11 - the shortest odds it has ever given a book to win the prize.
Ion Trewin, literary director of the Booker Prizes, said the last time a favourite walked off with the prize was Yann Martel's Life of Pi in 2002.Ion Trewin, literary director of the Booker Prizes, said the last time a favourite walked off with the prize was Yann Martel's Life of Pi in 2002.
Naughtie was joined on the judging panel by biographer and critic Lucasta Miller; Michael Prodger, literary editor of the Sunday Telegraph; Professor John Mullan, academic, journalist and broadcaster; and Sue Perkins, comedian, journalist and broadcaster.Naughtie was joined on the judging panel by biographer and critic Lucasta Miller; Michael Prodger, literary editor of the Sunday Telegraph; Professor John Mullan, academic, journalist and broadcaster; and Sue Perkins, comedian, journalist and broadcaster.
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction, first awarded in 1969, promotes the finest in fiction by rewarding the very best book of the year.The Man Booker Prize for Fiction, first awarded in 1969, promotes the finest in fiction by rewarding the very best book of the year.