Booker Prize 2025: Full Shortlist, Longlist and Winner Revealed
Author David Szalay has won the 2025 Booker Prize for his dark novel Flesh.
The sixth novel from the Hungarian-British writer was described by panel chair Roddy Doyle – himself a Booker Prize winner in 1993 – as “the book we kept coming back to, the one that stood out from the other great novels. We had never read anything quite like it. It is, in many ways, a dark book but it is a joy to read.”
Discover more about the award, along with the full shortlist, longlist, and which titles you can enjoy via Listening Books.
What Is the Booker Prize?
The Booker Prize has been awarded for over 50 years, having been founded by publishers Tom Maschler and Graham C. Greene. First presented in 1969, the inaugural prize went to P.H. Newby for his novel Something to Answer For.
Widely considered one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, the Booker Prize celebrates an original novel written in English, honouring world-class fiction on a global scale.
In 2005, the award was expanded into a biennial prize for a body of work, with no stipulation that it be written in English – opening the competition internationally.
In 2015, the rules were further broadened to allow writers of any nationality to enter, provided their books were written in English and published in the UK. This became known as the International Booker Prize.
The prize not only awards £50,000 to the winner but also brings global recognition, increased book sales, and often sparks adaptations for film or television. Each year, the judging panel selects a longlist of standout titles, narrows it to a shortlist of six, and finally crowns one winner that “exemplifies literary excellence”
Who made the 2025 Shortlist?
The 2025 shortlist featured six acclaimed authors:
- The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller
- The Lone Fig Tree by Kiran Desai
- Flashlight by Susan Choi
- Audition by Katie Kitamura
- The Side of the Hill by Ben Markovits
- Flesh by David Szalay (winner)
This year’s selection was praised for capturing the “quiet catastrophes” of the 2020s, with themes ranging from identity and migration to power and personal reckoning.
Who made the 2025 Longlist?
Announced in July 2025, the longlist included 13 novels chosen from over 150 submissions:
- Love Forms by Claire Adam
- The South by Tash Aw
- Universality by Natasha Brown
- One Boat by Jonathan Buckley
- Flashlight by Susan Choi
- Flesh by David Szalay
- The Side of the Hill by Ben Markovits
- Audition by Katie Kitamura
- The Lone Fig Tree by Kiran Desai
- The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller
- The Glass Shore by Yiyun Li
- The Unspoken by Leila Slimani
- The Weight of Water by Colm Tóibín
This diverse list showcased voices from across the globe, reflecting a wide range of cultures, styles, and perspectives.
Who Is the 2025 Winner?
David Szalay has won the 2025 Booker Prize for his sixth novel, Flesh. Described by judges as “extraordinary” and “a dark book that’s a joy to read,”
Flesh follows István, a fifteen-year-old growing up in Hungary whose life is shaped by a complex relationship with an older married woman.
The novel has also been chosen as a 'Best Book of 2025' by the Guardian, Observer, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, and Daily Mail.
Who was on the judging panel for the 2025 awards?
The judges for the 2025 Booker Prize Award were:
Chair: Roddy Doyle
Judges:
- Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
- Sarah Jessica Parker
- Chris Power
- Kiley Reid
What audiobooks are available via Listening Books?
From the 2025 Booker Prize longlist and shortlist, the following titles are currently available to enjoy:
- The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller
Members can stream or download these titles via the Listening Books website or the Libby app.
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