Josephine Hart dies aged 67

Former Man Booker Prize judge loses battle with cancer

6 June 2011

The bestselling writer and former Man Booker Prize judge Josephine Hart has died suddenly aged 67.

Best known for her 1991 debut novel Damage which sold over a million copies and went on to be adapted for the screen by David Hare and directed by Louis Malle, it starred Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche and Miranda Richardson. Her other novels were Sin, Oblivion, The Stillest Day and The Reconstructionist. She also produced a number of West End plays.

Josephine Hart, who was born in Ireland, was a judge for the Man Booker Prize in 2005. She also judged the Forward Poetry Prizes in 2009 and organised regular poetry events with the British Library called Josephine Hart's Poetry Hour.

Ion Trewin, Literary Director of the Man Booker Prizes, says, ‘

"The year 2005 saw the last panel chosen by Martyn Goff as administrator before his retirement. Recruiting Josephine Hart was a masterstroke. She spoke at the judges' meetings as a novelist, but revealed herself to be a telling critic. It was thanks to her persuasive powers that the Irish novelist Sebastian Barry made the long and shortlist that year with A Long, Long Way. She went on to develop her evocative poetry events for which she will also be long remembered."

Photograph copyright Carsten Windhorst
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