Oldest winner of the Booker Prize

William Golding (UK, b. 19 September 1911–d. 19 June 1993) was 69 when he was awarded the prize in 1980 for his book Rites of Passage. William Golding was born in Newquay, Cornwall, UK, on 19 September 1911. His first novel was Lord of the Flies in 1954. He died on 19 June 1993.

In 1983, Golding was awarded with the Nobel Prize for his contribution to literature.

As of October 2013 William Golding remains the oldest Booker Prize winner. The second oldest winner is Howard Jacobson, who was 68 when he won in 2010 with The Finkler Question.

As of the same date, Eleanor Catton (New Zealand, b. 24 September 1985) is the youngest winner of the prize. She was 28 years old when she won the Booker Prize on 15 October 2013 with her novel The Luminaries.