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15th October 2019
07:04am BST

He continued:
"They also happen to be wonderfully compelling, page-turning thrillers, which can speak to the most literary audience, to readers who maybe are only reading one, or in this case I hope two books a year, and can speak at different levels to all sorts of different readerships. "So in that sense they are, I hope and believe, really valuable Booker Prize winners."Evaristo is the first black woman to win the Booker Prize, while 79-year-old Atwood is the oldest winner. As the pair stood on stage after the win was announced, Atwood jokingly said:
"I would have thought I would have been too elderly, and I kind of don't need the attention, so I'm very glad that you're getting some. "It would have been quite embarrassing for me… if I had been alone here, so I'm very pleased that you're here too."In her acceptance speech, Evaristo said how "incredible" it was to be sharing the prize with Atwood - "who's such a legend and so generous." She added:
"A lot of people say, 'I never thought it would happen to me', and I will say I am the first black woman to win this prize, and I hope that honour doesn't last too long. I hope other people come forward now."
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