David Szalay Wins 2025 Booker Prize for His Novel Flesh

• The 2025 Booker Prize for Fiction has been awarded to David Szalay , the Canadian-Hungarian-British novelist, for his acclaimed work “Flesh” . The award was announced at a grand ceremony held at Old Billingsgate, London , on November 10, 2025 . The novel earned praise for its restrained emotional power and profound exploration of human experience, marking Szalay’s first Booker win after being previously shortlisted in 2016.

About the Winning Novel

• Szalay’s “Flesh” follows the life of István , a reserved Hungarian man navigating love, migration, and loneliness over several decades. The narrative unfolds through understated prose, portraying life’s silences and absences as central to the human condition. Critics hailed it as a “book about living — and the strangeness of living,” noting how Szalay’s minimalist style conveys deep emotional truth through omission rather than exposition.

The Jury and Selection Process

• The 2025 Booker Prize jury, chaired by Irish novelist Roddy Doyle , included actor Sarah Jessica Parker among other members. The judges selected Szalay’s novel unanimously from 153 submitted titles , after what Doyle described as a five-hour discussion. Commending Szalay’s craftsmanship, Doyle stated, “ Flesh makes readers look behind the face of the ordinary — if the gaps were filled, it would be less of a book. ”

Author Background and Recognition

• Born in Canada and raised in the United Kingdom , Szalay currently resides in Vienna . He was previously shortlisted for the 2016 Booker Prize for his novel All That Man Is . His latest win brings him £50,000 ($66,000) in prize money and renewed international acclaim. Szalay described “Flesh” as an attempt to capture “ what it means to live in a body — the physicality of being human. ”

Exam Pointers

• Winner: David Szalay

• Book: Flesh

• Prize Amount: £50,000

• Event: Booker Prize 2025, London

• Panel Chair: Roddy Doyle

• Other Finalists: Kiran Desai, Andrew Miller, Susan Choi, Katie Kitamura, Ben Markovits