Hungarian-British author David Szalay wins 2025 Booker Prize for ‘Flesh’

Hungarian-British writer David Szalay has won the 2025 Booker Prize for his novel Flesh, a dark yet compelling portrayal of one man’s journey through youth, manhood and identity.Szalay’s sixth work of fiction follows István, a Hungarian man whose life unfolds from a turbulent adolescence to midlife, exploring masculinity, class, migration, trauma, sex and power in spare, unflinching prose.The £50,000 award was announced Monday evening at a ceremony at Old Billingsgate in London. The judging panel, chaired by 1993 Booker winner Roddy Doyle, reached a unanimous decision, calling Flesh “a joy to read” despite its darkness.It presents us with a certain type of man and invites us to look behind the face,” Doyle said, praising Szalay’s raw depiction of working-class masculinity.The panel also included actor Sarah Jessica Parker and writers Chris Power, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, and Kiley Reid.Szalay, previously shortlisted in 2016 for All That Man Is, topped a strong shortlist featuring ...

• 11 Nov 2025