Granta Names Eleanor Catton a Best Young Novelist

Literary magazine Granta has announced its 20 most significant British novelists aged under 40, which, for the first time, includes international writers who view the UK as home, the BBC’s culture and media editor Katie Razzall reports. Cambridge-based New Zealander Eleanor Catton, author of Birnam Wood and Booker-winning The Luminaries, “the most recognisable name on the list”, makes the cut.

Granta editor Sigrid Rausing described those named as the “9/11 generation”, who grew up affected by the war on terror, the 2008 financial crash and austerity.

The inaugural Best of Young British Novelists picks, published in 1983, now read like a who’s who of literary greats.

Martin Amis, Pat Barker, Julian Barnes, William Boyd, Salman Rushdie, Rose Tremain, Ian McKewan and Kazuo Ishiguro were amongst the highlighted young writers.

Catton was born in Canada in 1985.

Original article by Katie Razzall, BBC, April 14, 2023.