Close up: David Szalay

David Szalay's keen powers of observation and unique portrayals of our inner motivations have made him one of Europe's most interesting contemporary authors. In this author portrait, we meet him in an in-depth conversation about his writing, literary ambitions, and the stories behind his latest book, Flesh, for which he won the 2025 Booker Prize. With masterful control and magnetic storytelling, he creates an unusual portrait of a man who is both driven by others and attempts to set his own course.