The novel "Flesh", "Meat" in the Swedish translation, is about a man who dreams of happiness and wealth, but who has to pay with his own flesh. It is described by Szalay's Swedish publisher Bonniers as a profound contemporary narrative with elements of classic drama.
Three American writers were among the nominees: Susan Choi (“Flashlight”), Katie Kitamura (“Audition”) and Ben Markovits (“The Rest of Our Lives”).
The other nominees were Indian Kiran Desai (“The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny”) and Briton Andrew Miller (“The Land in Winter”).
This year's jury was led by Irish author Roddy Doyle and consisted of, among others, "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker and Nigerian author Ayòbámi Adébáyò.
The prize money is 50,000 pounds, equivalent to just over 625,000 Swedish kronor.
