But he did something nobody had ever done before: he painted a mural for all succeeding novelists, a sort of backdrop on which the saga of Homo sapiens was drawn.
The piece is set against a huge backdrop on which images of racism, violence and dance are projected.
Seated in front of a backdrop on which the words "Call me Ishmael" were clearly visible, the "Today" team explained how a debut novel by a 21-year-old unknown had snagged this distinction.
Its industrial minimalism and jagged rhythms drew stylistically on underground house and grime, a backdrop on which sat some of the sculpted synths of 80s disco and vogue.
iPhone, iPad, free This slightly trippy music-making app offers a choice of idyllic natural backdrops, each of which has its own music theme, from jazz and funk to breakbeat.
Parts of the city are set against the scenic backdrop of Mount Silla, which rises above the plain to an elevation of more than 5,500 feet (1,700 metres).
Even more basic was In the Woods, a heady chronicle of three youths' experiments with sexuality and identity against the backdrop of nature, which was filmed using the video function of a low-end consumer digital still camera.
Bernstein had explained his reasons against the backdrop of scandals which have led to 10 of Fifa's 24-man executive committee being accused, suspended or investigated for alleged corruption.
And although "Side Man" may focus on a family, it also boasts the unusual backdrop of jazz, which, said its American co-producer Ron Kastner, could work on its behalf.
Carlisle Lib Dem leader, councillor Trevor Allison, said: "At the end of the day we fought this election against a backdrop of polls which were pretty dismal for us.
