International Booker Prize 2025 shortlist is all independent presses
For the first time, every book on the International Booker Prize shortlist came from an independent publisher.
The shortlist for the 2025 International Booker Prize was announced on 8 April 2025. The six books were On the Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle, translated from Danish by Barbara J Haveland (Faber); Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated from French by Helen Stevenson (Small Axes); Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from Japanese by Asa Yoneda (Granta); Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated from Italian by Sophie Hughes (Fitzcarraldo Editions); Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi (And Other Stories); and A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre, translated from French by Mark Hutchinson (Lolli Editions).
It was the first time that all the shortlisted books came from independent publishers. Each shortlisted title received £5,000, split between author and translator, and the winner was due to be announced at Tate Modern in London on 20 May 2025.
Independent presses have long done a large share of the work of bringing translated fiction into English, often with small print runs and grant support. A shortlist made up entirely of their books is a fair reflection of that. For writers and translators looking for a home for work in translation, the list is also a practical guide to which publishers are actively acquiring it.
Source: Publishing Perspectives: The International Booker Prize names its 2025 shortlist.