About this episode

Joan Baum reviews the novel 'Flesh' by David Szalay, exploring its themes of detachment and the author's recognition by the Booker Prize.

A young Hungarian man simply flows with the random events that shape his life for him. This profound feeling of detachment guides the main character of the novel Flesh. Author David Szalay won the 2025 Booker Prize for his work. It stood out so far from the other entries that judges of the Prize said they never read anything quite like it. WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum read it, and she agrees.

People in this episode

Host: Joan Baum

Topics covered

• book review
• literature
• Booker Prize
• Hungarian literature
• detachment
• character study

Keywords

• Flesh
• David Szalay
• Booker Prize
• book review
• Hungarian literature
• detachment
• novel

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Flesh

Places: Hungary

More episodes of Baum on Books

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• Book Review: 'The Long Goodbye' · March 12, 2026 · 6 min
• Book Review: 'Accidental Philanthropist' · February 26, 2026 · 5 min
• Book Review: 'Be Ready When The Luck Happens' · February 12, 2026 · 5 min
• Book Review: 'Heartwood' · January 29, 2026 · 5 min

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