The International Booker Prize has announced 2026 shortlist, unveiling six exceptional works that represent the very best of global fiction translated into English.
Chaired by award-winning authorNatasha Brown, the judging panel - including Professor Marcus du Sautoy, translator Sophie Hughes, editor Troy Onyango, and novelist Nilanjana S. Roy - selected the final titles from an initial 128 submissions.
The prize uniquely recognises the vital work of translation, with the £50,000 award divided equally between the winning author and translator. Each shortlisted author and translator will also receive £2,500, celebrating a selection of stories published in the UK and Ireland that transcend national borders and foster a global community of readers.
The 2026 shortlist is a masterclass in narrative economy, featuring expansive stories rendered in remarkably compact forms. Only one title on the list exceeds 300 pages, while three are under 150, including the shortest entry, On Earth As It Is Beneath , which clocks in at just 101 pages.
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These lean but powerful works transport readers across time and geography, from Japan-ruled Taiwan in the 1930s and Nazi-controlled Europe to the domestic magic of 1990s France and the enduring echoes of the Iranian Revolution.
The characters are equally vivid, featuring a suburban witch, a morally compromised filmmaker, and a "sworn virgin" from the Albanian Alps, all of whom inhabit narratives that draw on real moments from history for their inspiration.
The six books vying for the top honour are The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran by Shida Bazyar (translated by Ruth Martin), She Who Remains by Rene Karabash (translated by Izidora Angel), The Directorby Daniel Kehlmann (translated by Ross Benjamin), On Earth As It Is Beneathby Ana Paula Maia (translated by Padma Viswanathan), The Witch by Marie NDiaye (translated by Jordan Stump), and Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ (translated by Lin King).
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This diverse list represents languages ranging from Bulgarian and Mandarin Chinese to Portuguese and German, showcasing a rich variety of international perspectives.
Reflecting on the selection, Natasha Brown, International Booker Prize 2026 Chair of judges, said: "Our shortlist offers readers a six-stop tour of highlights from the world of translated fiction. With narratives that capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history.
"While there’s heartbreak, brutality, and isolation among these stories, their lasting effect is energising. Rereading each book, we judges found hope, insight and burning humanity – along with unforgettable characters to whom I’m sure readers will return again and again.
"Make space on your TBRs; this is an unmissable reading list," she added.
The final winner will be announced on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, during a ceremony at the Tate Modern in London, which will be livestreamed on the Booker Prizes social media channels.
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