The shortlist for the 2026 International Booker Prize, supported by Bukhman Philanthropies, has been announced. Each shortlisted title will be awarded a prize of £5,000: £2,500 for the author and £2,500 for the translator. The winner will be announced on May 19 at the Tate Modern in London.

The novels on this year’s shortlist feature stories of a suburban witch, a morally compromised filmmaker, a bloodthirsty prison warden, a sworn virgin with a new identity, a young novelist and an interpreter with a shared passion for food, and a multigenerational family of Iranian emigrants.

Natasha Brown, Chair of this year’s judging panel, said: “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.”

The shortlist features two debut novels and one book published in its original language 30 years ago. It also features two author/translator pairings who have been nominated for the International Booker Prize previously: Daniel Kehlmann and Ross Benjamin were shortlisted in 2020, while Marie NDiaye and Jordan Stump were longlisted in 2016. Translator Ruth Martin was longlisted in 2020.

The list is made up of authors and translators representing eight countries: Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany,...

Read more