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Something to Answer For

Something to Answer For

Written by P. H. Newby

Winner
The Booker Prize 1969
Published by Faber & Faber

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P.H. Newby’s 17th novel made literary history in 1969, when it was named as the inaugural winner of the Booker Prize

It was 1956 and he was in Port Said.

About these two facts he was reasonably certain but a murderous attack left him certain about little else - maybe just the conviction that the British usually did the right thing and that to be a crook a man must assume the society he lived in was honest.

P.H. Newby

P. H. Newby

P.H. Newby was the first winner of the Booker Prize. He was a perpetual high achiever – a novelist and BBC mandarin who in 1969 became the first winner of the Booker Prize, for Something to Answer For
More about P. H. Newby
P.H. Newby photographed by Madame Hassia

P.H. Newby, photographed in Cairo, Egypt

© Madame Hassia / Courtesy P.H. Newby Literary Estate

P.H. Newby

P.H. Newby at his desk

© P.H. Newby Literary Estate

P.H. Newby's Booker Prize Trophy

P.H. Newby was awarded the first Booker Prize in 1969 and received a trophy designed by the Polish-British children’s author and illustrator Jan Pieńkowski. Originally a silver colour, Pieńkowski’s trophy was given to the winner in the first four years of the prize. Newby’s wife, Joan, spray-painted the trophy gold. It was kept by the front door, and used to hold keys.

© P.H. Newby Literary Estate

P.H. Newby

P.H. Newby, 1958

© P.H. Newby Literary Estate

P.H. Newby's Booker prize cheque

P.H. Newby’s prize cheque, awarded at a ceremony at Draper’s Hall where Newby was presented with the cheque for £5,000

© P.H. Newby Literary Estate

P.H. Newby

P.H. Newby

© P.H. Newby Literary Estate