2026 International Booker Prize Shortlist Revealed: Six Authors Compete for Top Honor

The 2026 International Booker Prize shortlist has been unveiled, marking the award's 10th anniversary. Daniel Kehlmann, Marie NDiaye, and Yáng Shuāng-zǐ are among the six authors competing for the top honor.

The annual prize celebrates the best works of fiction translated into English, with the winning author-translator pair receiving £50,000, split equally.

The shortlisted authors and their works are:

• Daniel Kehlmann - 'The Director', translated by Ross Benjamin
• Marie NDiaye - 'The Witch', translated by Jordan Stump
• Yáng Shuāng-zǐ - 'Taiwan Travelogue', translated by Lin King
• Rene Karabash - 'She Who Remains', translated by Izidora Angel
• Shida Bazyar - 'The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran', translated by Ruth Martin
• Ana Paula Maia - 'On Earth As It Is Beneath', translated by Padma Viswanathan

The judging panel, chaired by author Natasha Brown, praised the shortlisted books for capturing moments from across the past century, saying they 'reverberate with history' and offer 'hope, insight and burning humanity.'

The winner will be announced on May 19, with each shortlisted title receiving £5,000.