Explore the International Booker Prize 2025 shortlist
In the world of the Booker Prizes this week: Win the entire shortlist; find out what inspired the shortlisted authors and translators; and explore our reading guides, which are perfect for book clubs
Win a set of all six books from this year’s shortlist
To celebrate the announcement of the International Booker Prize 2025 shortlist, we are giving you the chance to win a set of all six books in the running for this year’s prize. ‘Our selected six awakened an appetite in us to question the world around us,’ said Chair of judges, Max Porter. ‘How am I seeing or being seen? How are we translating each other, all the time? How are we trapped in our bodies, in our circumstances, in time, and what are our options for freedom? Who has a voice? In discussing these books we have been considering again and again what it means to be a human being now.’
To be in with a chance of winning one set of books, simply enter your details over on thebookerprizes.com by 12:00 BST on Monday, May 5, 2025. This competition is open to readers anywhere in the world.
What the shortlisted authors and translators said about their books
Each year, the International Booker Prize celebrates the best works of long-form fiction or collections of short stories from around the world. Here, this year’s shortlistees share the inspirations and writing processes behind their nominated books: from stories shaped by personal tragedy, to projects decades in the making, to those influenced by real-world events.
Their reflections reveal the many different ways a story can begin – and the often surprising paths these six books travelled before reaching readers worldwide.
Discover our reading guides for the shortlisted books
Whether you’re new to this year’s shortlist or have read some of the books and would like to explore them more deeply, here are our comprehensive guides, featuring insights from critics and the book’s authors and translators, as well as discussion points and suggestions for further reading.
Which books from the shortlist have you read so far? Don’t forget to let us – and your fellow readers – know your thoughts in the comments below…
Most perfect read 💎💕📚💕💎
Big Bird should be required reading for every young person whether embarking on an arts or sciences trajectory. Prize-winning books should have a lasting quality and this is a forever book which will only unfold itself as we continue to evolve. Thank you to Hiromi and Asa.