David Szalay Wins Booker Prize for Haunting Novel 'Flesh'
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{ "title": "David Szalay Wins Booker Prize for Haunting Novel 'Flesh'", "article": "British-Hungarian author David Szalay has taken home the prestigious Booker Prize for his novel 'Flesh', a poignant and sparse tale of one man's life from humble beginnings in Hungary to unexpected wealth in Britain. The 51-year-old writer beat out five other finalists, including favorites Andrew Miller and Kiran Desai, to take the coveted literary award. The novel, a story of István's life, recounts his experiences as a struggling immigrant in Britain, his relationships, and his eventual rise to London's high society. Szalay's writing style, described as 'spare and unadorned', leaves much to the reader's imagination, making the story all the more captivating. Accepting the award at London's Old Billingsgate, Szalay thanked the judges for recognizing his 'risky' novel, which he wrote under pressure after abandoning a previous project. He credited his editor for believing in 'Flesh', a novel that has been praised for its originality and thought-provoking themes. The Booker Prize, founded in 1969, has a reputation for catapulting writers' careers. Previous winners include Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, and Arundhati Roy. Szalay, who was born in Montreal to a Hungarian father and Canadian mother, now lives in Vienna and was previously a Booker finalist in 2016. Reacting to the news, Irish writer Roddy Doyle, who chaired the judging panel, said that István belongs to a group often overlooked in fiction: working-class men. Doyle praised the novel for its ability to make the reader look beyond the surface level of a character, inviting us to 'look behind the face'. Szalay's win has sparked debate among critics, with some praising the novel's unique style and others finding it frustratingly opaque. However, the judges were unanimous in their decision, praising the 'spareness of the writing' and the way the story is revealed without being overly explicit. Szalay's prize money of £50,000 will undoubtedly help him take his writing career to the next level. When asked what he plans to do with the money, he smiled and said he'll 'go on a nice little holiday' and put the rest in the bank. Samantha Harvey, last year's winner, had some advice for Szalay: 'Buckle up, and get a good accountant!'"
