The International Booker Prize 2025 shortlist has been unveiled, and this year’s selection is as bold and diverse as ever. For the first time in the history of the prize, all six shortlisted books have been published by independent publishers, underscoring the growing impact and cultural importance of smaller publishers in bringing global literature to English-speaking audiences.
Chosen from a record-breaking 154 submissions—more than any previous year since the prize adopted its current format in 2016—the shortlist features six works of fiction, including five novels and one short story collection. All have been translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland between 1 May 2024 and 30 April 2025.
The judging panel, chaired by author Max Porter, praised the shortlist as “mind-expanding” and “a vehicle for pressing and surprising conversations about humanity.” He is joined on the panel by poet and artist Caleb Femi, writer and critic Sana Goyal, translator and author Anton Hur, and musician Beth Orton.
Porter noted that the books “don’t shut down debate, they generate it,” and that collectively, they offer “knotty, sometimes pessimistic, sometimes radically hopeful” perspectives on life, grief, identity, and survival.
A Diverse and Daring Selection
The shortlist includes:
- Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated from Italian by Sophie Hughes: A sharp and sociologically rich satire of millennial expat life in Berlin. Hughes, now a three-time nominee and the most frequently shortlisted translator in the prize’s history.
- On the Calculation of Volume: I by Solvej Balle, translated from Danish by Barbara J. Haveland: The novel introduces readers to Tara, a bookseller stuck in a time loop, reliving the same day repeatedly. Critics have hailed the book for reinventing the time-loop narrative with emotional depth and philosophical inquiry.
- Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from Japanese by Asa Yoneda: A haunting and imaginative novel-in-stories set in a dystopian future where humans are manufactured in factories. Kawakami, known for her acclaimed work Strange Weather in Tokyo, explores themes of identity and memory through interconnected narratives.
- Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated from French by Helen Stevenson: A powerful fictional retelling of a tragic real-life event—the 2021 sinking of a migrant boat in the English Channel that claimed 27 lives. Written in just three weeks, the novel draws on actual recordings to capture the emotional and political weight of the crisis.
- Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi: Marking the first time a book translated from Kannada has been shortlisted, Heart Lamp presents 12 short stories written between 1990 and 2023. It offers an intimate portrayal of the daily lives and challenges faced by Muslim women in southern India.
- A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre, translated from French by Mark Hutchinson: A poetic and melancholic novel written in the aftermath of Serre’s sister’s suicide. It centers on the complex relationship between the narrator and a troubled friend, and serves as a literary memorial filled with tenderness and psychological insight.
Celebrating Translation and Collaboration
Since its relaunch in 2016, the International Booker Prize has spotlighted the crucial role of translation in literature. The prize money of £50,000 is split equally between the author and translator, with each shortlisted pair also receiving £2,500.
This shared recognition highlights the collaborative nature of bringing international voices to English-speaking readers. As the number of submissions continues to rise—154 this year alone—it’s clear that translated literature is not just thriving but vital.
Indie Publishers Take the Spotlight
Perhaps the most notable feature of this year’s shortlist is that all six titles come from independent publishers. This milestone reflects the increasing commitment of indie presses to champion bold, experimental, and underrepresented voices from around the world. Their work has helped make space for stories that might otherwise remain unheard, challenging mainstream narratives and expanding literary horizons.
The importance of this shift wasn’t lost on the judging panel. Porter called the selected works “miraculous lenses through which to view human experience,” praising their capacity to be both deeply personal and universally resonant.
What’s at Stake
The winning title will be announced on Tuesday, 20 May, at a ceremony held at Tate Modern in London. Past winners have included internationally celebrated authors like Han Kang (The Vegetarian), Olga Tokarczuk (Flights), and Jenny Erpenbeck (Kairos), whose work with translator Michael Hofmann earned them the 2024 prize.
