Your weekly edit

In the world of the Booker Prizes this week: we catch up with last year’s International Booker Prize winners; this year’s shortlistees share what makes a good book; 11 books based on real-world events

Jenny Erpenbeck and Michael Hofmann on their International Booker Prize 2024 win, one year on

As they prepare to pass the baton, Kairos author Jenny Erpenbeck and translator Michael Hofmann reflect on the moment they won the International Booker Prize in 2024 (‘It felt unreal’), and what happened in the days and weeks that followed. They reveal what they know now that they wish they’d known then and share some advice for this year’s winners.

---

What makes a good book, according to this year’s shortlisted authors and translators

Now you’re asking! This year’s International Booker Prize shortlisted authors and translators grapple with the thorny question of what makes a good book in this exclusive short film.

---

11 Booker-nominated books based on real-world events

Crossing continents and spanning 150 years, this selection of Booker-nominated books presents powerful fictional interpretations of dramatic and harrowing true stories. From the sinking of the Titanic to the attempted assassination of Bob Marley via the darkest moments of the Second World War, here you’ll find reading recommendations for books by a wide range of authors, including Beryl Bainbridge, Marlon James, Jhumpa Lahiri and Richard Flanagan.

---

How to watch the International Booker Prize 2025 winner announcement – live

We’re counting down the days, hours, minutes… The winner of the International Booker Prize 2025 will be announced at a ceremony at Tate Modern in London on Tuesday 20 May. Tune in from 10pm BST and watch the announcement live on our YouTube, Instagram and TikTok accounts. Which book are you rooting for?

---

Happy reading and watching, and don’t forget to let us – and fellow readers – know what you think in the comments.