The Booker Prize 2025 The Authors Leading the Conversation

As the Booker Prize 2025 longlist continues to spark global interest, several authors have emerged at the centre of the literary conversation. From the celebrated return of a former winner to the fresh voices making their debut, these writers reflect the richness and range of contemporary fiction.

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Kiran Desai – The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

Nineteen years after winning the Booker Prize for The Inheritance of Loss, Kiran Desai returns with her long‑awaited new novel. At 667 pages, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is an expansive story praised by the judges for its ambition and humanity. Desai’s inclusion has been met with widespread anticipation, as readers speculate whether she might join the small group of two‑time Booker winners.

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Claire Adam – Love Forms

Claire Adam, author of the debut Love Forms, has quickly become one of the most discussed names on the list. Her novel explores themes of family and identity with sharp precision. A disclosure of prior professional contact between Adam and one of the judges, Sarah Jessica Parker—who subsequently recused herself from judging the book—has only heightened interest in Adam’s work.

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David Szalay – Flesh

The British‑Canadian writer David Szalay, previously shortlisted in 2016, returns to the longlist with Flesh. The novel has been described by critics as a compelling exploration of power, intimacy, and the human body in the modern age. Szalay’s reputation for incisive social observation places him among the frontrunners of this year’s list.

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Tash Aw – The South

In The South, Tash Aw crafts a multigenerational story set against the backdrop of Malaysia in the 1990s. Rich in atmosphere and scope, the novel examines belonging, politics, and change in a society on the edge of transformation. Should Aw progress further, he could become the first Malaysian winner of the Booker Prize, a milestone celebrated across literary circles.

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Looking Ahead

With the shortlist announcement due on 23 September 2025 at the Southbank Centre, London, these authors—and many others on the longlist—will remain at the forefront of literary discussion. The winner will be revealed on 10 November 2025 at Old Billingsgate, London.