The six-book shortlist for the 2026 International Booker Prize, the 10th annual iteration of the prize, has been announced.
The selection celebrates the best works of long-form fiction or short story collections translated into English and published in the U.K. and/or Ireland between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026. The shortlist is pared down from a longlist of 13 books that was announced on February 24.
The titles are:
- The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran by Shida Bazyar, translated from German by Ruth Martin (Scribe)
- She Who Remains by Rene Karabash, translated from Bulgarian by Izidora Angel (Sandorf Passage)
- The Director by Daniel Kehlmann, translated from German by Ross Benjamin (Summit)
- On Earth As It Is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia, translated from Portuguese by Padma Viswanathan (Charco)
- The Witch by Marie NDiaye, translated from French by Jordan Stump (Vintage)
- Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated from Mandarin Chinese by Lin King (Graywolf)
This year sees the first shortlisting for a Taiwanese writer, Shuāng-zǐ, and for two debut novelists, Bazyar and Karabash. NDiaye also makes the shortlist for the first time, 30 years since her book was first published. Indie publishers from around the U.K. dominate the shortlist, as is typical, accompanied by two imprints of Hachette's Quercus group.
Each shortlisted title will be awarded a prize of £5,000, split evenly between the author and the translator, and can also expect a boost in sales.
“With narratives that capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history,” chair of judges and author Natasha Brown said in a statement. “While there’s heartbreak, brutality, and isolation among these stories, their lasting effect is energizing.”
The winning title will be announced May 19 at a ceremony at Tate Modern in London.
