Canadian-Hungarian-British writer David Szalay wins Booker Prize for fiction for ‘Flesh’
London: Canadian-Hungarian-British writer David Szalay won the Booker Prize in the fiction category on Monday for his work ‘Flesh’, beating five other finalists, including favourites Andrew Miller and Kiran Desai.
Szalay, aged 51 years, who was chosen by a panel of judges that included Irish writer Roddy Doyle as well as ‘Sex and the City’ star Sarah Jessica Parker, will be honoured with a £50,000 ($66,000) payday, while the award is considered a major boost to a writer’s sales and profile too.
Szalay’s book narrates the life of a taciturn István, from a teenage relationship with an older woman over a period of time as a struggling immigrant in Britain to a denizen of London high society. The author has said he wanted to write about a Hungarian immigrant, and “about life as a physical experience, about what it’s like to be a living body in the world.”
Speaking about ‘Flesh’, Doyle has said that István belonged to the working class, which is overlooked in fiction. After reading the novel, he has begun looking more closely when he walks past bouncers standing in the doorways of Dublin pubs, Doyle added.
Many critics also praised the book, but is known to have frustrated others as it refused to fill in the gaps in the protagonist’s story, which includes incarceration and wartime service in Iraq occur off the page. The protagonist István is also adamantly unexpressive and his most common remark is merely ‘Okay’, the critics have said.
Szalay, who was born in Canada, raised in the U.K. and lives in Vienna, was previously a Booker finalist in 2016 for “All That Man Is,” a series of stories about nine wildly different men.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
What is Iran’s 10-point plan? Key demands ahead of US talks in Islamabad
Tehran/Islamabad: Iran has outlined a 10-point plan as the basis for upcoming talks with the United States, expected to begin in Islamabad on April 11, according to a statement from the Iranian Supreme National Security Council.
The plan lays out Tehran’s key political, military and economic demands, and is being seen as a framework for negotiations following the recent escalation in the region.
Strait of Hormuz at the centre
A major focus of the plan is the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. Iran has proposed “controlled passage through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the Iranian armed forces,” which it says would give the country a unique economic and geopolitical position.
The plan also calls for the “establishment of a safe transit protocol” in the Strait that would guarantee Iran’s dominance under an agreed mechanism.
Call to end conflict
Iran has demanded “the necessity of ending the war against all elements of the axis of resistance,” signalling its expectation that hostilities should stop not only in Iran but also involving allied groups in the region.
US troop withdrawal
Another key demand is the “withdrawal of US combat forces from all bases and deployment points in the region,” indicating Tehran’s long-standing position against American military presence in West Asia.
Sanctions relief and compensation
The plan places strong emphasis on economic measures. It calls for “full payment of Iran’s damages according to estimates,” along with “the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions and resolutions of the Board of Governors and the Security Council.”
It also seeks “the release of all Iranian assets and properties frozen abroad,” which have been a major point of contention for years.
Binding global guarantee
Finally, Iran has demanded that all these terms be formally recognised through “a binding Security Council resolution,” suggesting it wants international legal backing to ensure enforcement.
What this means
The 10-point plan reflects Iran’s broader push for security guarantees, economic relief and regional influence. The upcoming talks in Islamabad are expected to test how far both sides are willing to negotiate on these demands.
