To Become a Famous Writer, One Must Write a Novel About Immigrants or Space 0 7

The Booker Prize was awarded to David Szalay for his book "All That Man Is," as reported on the prize's website. The writer received £50,000 and a statuette — at the awards ceremony held in London, the prize was presented to him by last year's winner Samantha Harvey.

The winner was chosen by a jury led by Roddy Doyle, who won the Booker in 1993. The jury also included writer Ayobami Adebayo, actress Sarah Jessica Parker, writer and literary critic Chris Power, and writer Kylie Reid. The winner was selected from 153 contenders, considering works of fiction written in English and published in the UK/Ireland between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025.

What the Book "All That Man Is" Is About

The events in the novel "All That Man Is" span several decades and take place against the backdrop of a Hungarian residential area and the mansions of London's elite. The central plot revolves around a man entangled in a series of events that exceed his understanding.

The protagonist, Istvan, transforms from a beggar into a wealthy man, moving from the slums of Central Europe to a mansion in an upscale London neighborhood. The novel raises questions about what drives life: what makes it worthwhile and what destroys it.

Who is David Szalay

Szalay was born in Montreal; his father is Hungarian and his mother is Canadian, writes The Guardian. The writer grew up in London, lived in Lebanon and the UK, and has now moved to Vienna (Austria). He studied at Oxford and, after his studies, worked in financial advertising, an experience that inspired him to write his debut novel "London and the South-East."

Szalay was nominated for the Booker in 2016 for the novel All That Man Is.

Szalay's victory marks the tenth for authors from his publisher Jonathan Cape (a Penguin imprint), which has the most wins in Booker history. Last year, the prize also went to an author published by Cape — Samantha Harvey won for her novel "Orbit."

What the Novel "Orbit" by the 2024 Booker Winner Is About

The book "Orbit" describes a day in the life of six astronauts from the USA, Russia, Italy, the UK, and Japan aboard the International Space Station. They are there to perform vital work but gradually begin to ponder philosophical questions: "What is life without Earth? What is Earth without humanity?"

Samantha Harvey was born in Kent (England) and studied philosophy at the University of York and the University of Sheffield. In the 2000s, she worked at the Herschel Astronomy Museum in Bath (UK), where the planet Uranus was discovered. She runs a master's program in creative writing at Bath Spa University.