Why in news?
At a ceremony held in London on 10 November 2025, Hungarian‑British author David Szalay won the Booker Prize for his novel Flesh. He is the first writer of Hungarian descent to receive the award. The prize includes a cheque for £50,000 and international recognition, and it crowns a competitive year in which the judges considered 153 novels published in the United Kingdom or Ireland.
Background
The Booker Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards. Established in 1969, it honours the best original novel written in the English language and published in the UK or Ireland. The prize aims to promote fiction of the highest quality and often introduces global readers to new voices. Past winners include Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy and Margaret Atwood.
About the winning novel
- Themes: Flesh spans several decades and follows a protagonist known for his emotional detachment as he moves through different relationships and cities. The narrative explores loneliness, desire and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world.
- Narrative style: The novel uses clear, spare prose and overlapping stories to portray ordinary lives with extraordinary insight. Critics have praised Szalay’s ability to capture human frailty without judgment.
- Judging panel: The 2025 jury was chaired by novelist Roddy Doyle, with Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyò, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Power and Kiley Reid as co‑judges. They selected Flesh from a shortlist that also included works by authors from India, Nigeria and Canada.
Significance
- Cultural impact: Winning the Booker Prize often leads to a surge in book sales and translation deals, bringing the author’s work to a global audience.
- Representation: Szalay’s victory highlights the diversity of modern English‑language literature and encourages readers to explore voices from different cultural backgrounds.
- Legacy of the prize: The Booker continues to set standards for literary excellence and to stimulate discussion about contemporary issues reflected in fiction.
Conclusion
David Szalay’s Flesh has earned the 2025 Booker Prize for its nuanced exploration of human relationships. The award reaffirms the importance of storytelling in connecting readers across cultures and underscores the enduring relevance of literary fiction.
Source: The Booker Prizes