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David Szalay Wins 2025 Booker Prize for 'Flesh'

11/12/2025

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Summary

Story summary

David Szalay won the 2025 Booker Prize for his novel Flesh on November 10 at a ceremony in London.
Szalay received £50,000 as the prize.
The novel Flesh follows István, a Hungarian man, as he navigates trauma, class, identity, masculinity, and migration.
Roddy Doyle, chair of the judging panel, praised the novel for originality and emotional depth.
Szalay was previously nominated in 2016 for All That Man Is.

History

Historical Context

Established in 1969, the Booker Prize has celebrated exceptional English-language fiction, initially limited to Commonwealth authors. P.H. Newby was the first recipient, awarded £1,000. In 2014, eligibility expanded to all English-language novels published in the UK, reflecting the prize's evolution. David Szalay's 2025 win for *Flesh* continues this tradition, addressing themes of identity and migration, crucial in contemporary literature.

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Story summary

David Szalay won the 2025 Booker Prize for his novel Flesh on November 10 at a ceremony in London.
Szalay received £50,000 as the prize.
The novel Flesh follows István, a Hungarian man, as he navigates trauma, class, identity, masculinity, and migration.
Roddy Doyle, chair of the judging panel, praised the novel for originality and emotional depth.
Szalay was previously nominated in 2016 for All That Man Is.

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