David Szalay Wins 2025 Booker Prize for 'Flesh,' Praising 'Risky' Novel
David Szalay secured the 2025 Booker Prize for "Flesh," a dark novel detailing a Hungarian emigre's rags-to-riches journey, triumphing over five shortlisted authors.
Overview
- David Szalay was awarded the prestigious 2025 Booker Prize for his novel "Flesh," marking a significant recognition of his contribution to contemporary literature.
- David Szalay's novel "Flesh" triumphed over five other shortlisted authors to win the 2025 Booker Prize, despite him being considered an outsider.
- His winning novel, "Flesh," details the journey of István, a tortured Hungarian emigre, from a housing project to life among Europe's elite.
- Szalay expressed gratitude to the judges for acknowledging his 'risky' and sparely written novel, which explores complex and challenging themes.
- This 2025 victory solidifies Szalay's literary standing, building on his previous recognition as a Booker Prize finalist in 2016 for 'All That Man Is'.
Report issue
Read both sides in 5 minutes each day
Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover David Szalay's Booker Prize win neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of the event. They highlight the book's literary merit, the author's background, and judges' praise without employing loaded language or selective emphasis. This approach provides a balanced, informative overview of the literary achievement.
"David Szalay won the 2025 Booker Prize for his novel "Flesh" on Monday, Nov. 10, becoming the first Hungarian-British author to win one of the top awards in the English-speaking world."
USA TODAY"David Szalay has won the 2025 Booker Prize for his novel ‘Flesh’."
Deadline"Flesh, which just won this year's Booker Prize, is a novel that uses the white space on the page so well, inviting the reader to fill the space and observe the character."
NPR"Flesh has had rave reviews across the board."
BBC NewsArticles (7)
Center (4)
FAQ
The novel 'Flesh' follows István, a shy Hungarian boy who, after a traumatic adolescence involving a fatal accident and juvenile detention, serves in the military, then gradually rises through Britain's elite society by working in security and marrying into wealth, while facing personal and moral challenges.
The novel explores themes of social mobility, masculinity, violence, trauma, and determinism, particularly examining how masculine rage and barbarity may be seen as immutable and how individuals are shaped by social forces and fate.
The style of 'Flesh' is noted for its austerity and minimalism, with key events often only hinted at or briefly mentioned, requiring readers to infer much from silences and lacunae, which mirrors the taciturn nature of its protagonist.
Winning the 2025 Booker Prize for 'Flesh' marked an important recognition of Szalay's contribution to contemporary literature, solidifying his literary standing following his previous Booker Prize finalist status in 2016.
At age 15, István enters a controversial sexual relationship with an older woman, which ends in a fatal altercation with her husband, leading to juvenile detention and shaping his difficult path thereafter.
History
- 1M
3 articles