International Booker Prize 2026 Longlist Announced

The International Booker Prize 2026 longlist has been revealed, showcasing 13 books translated from 11 languages, representing authors and translators from 14 nationalities across four continents. The list, announced on February 24, 2026, highlights a diverse range of themes, from witchcraft and warfare to revolution and renewal.

A Diverse Selection of Voices

This year’s longlist features a compelling array of characters and settings. Readers will encounter a queer Argentinian conquistador, an East Berlin mathematician, a German film director, a ‘sworn virgin’ in Albania, a child-star-turned-thief, a Japanese novelist, an Italian aristocrat, and a Danish noblewoman accused of sorcery. The stories unfold in locations as varied as a Brazilian penal colony, an Albanian village, a Belgian asylum, and a garden in Tehran.

The Longlisted Titles

• The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran by Shida Bazyar, translated from German by Ruth Martin: A multi-generational story of an Iranian family navigating exile and hope.
• We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated from Spanish by Robin Myers: A reimagining of colonial history, giving voice to a 17th-century figure in South America. Cabezón Cámara previously won the National Book Award in the US in 2025 for this work in the literature translated category.
• The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje, translated from Dutch by David McKay: Explores themes of memory, love, and the aftermath of war.
• The Deserters by Mathias Énard, translated from French by Charlotte Mandell: Weaves together two stories of survival and hope amidst conflict.
• Small Comfort by Ia Genberg, translated from Swedish by Kira Josefsson: A collection of stories examining the role of money in modern life.
• She Who Remains by Rene Karabash, translated from Bulgarian by Izidora Angel: A modern fairytale set in a mountain village governed by ancient laws.
• The Director by Daniel Kehlmann, translated from German by Ross Benjamin: A satirical look at the life of a German film director.
• On Earth As It Is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia, translated from Portuguese by Padma Viswanathan: A haunting novel set in a remote Brazilian penal colony.
• The Duke by Matteo Melchiorre, translated from Italian by Antonella Lettieri: A suspenseful tale of a feud in the Dolomites.
• The Witch by Marie NDiaye, translated from French by Jordan Stump: A story of witchcraft passed down through generations of women.
• Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur, translated from Persian by Faridoun Farrokh: Follows the lives of five women during a time of revolution.
• The Wax Child by Olga Ravn, translated from Danish by Martin Aitken: A haunting novel set during the Danish witch trials, narrated from the perspective of a wax doll.
• Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated from Mandarin Chinese by Lin King: A metafictional romance and postcolonial exploration set in 1930s Taiwan.

The Judging Panel

The longlist was selected by a panel of judges chaired by award-winning author Natasha Brown, alongside Nilanjana S. Roy, Marcus du Sautoy, Sophie Hughes, and Troy Onyango.

Prize Details

The International Booker Prize recognizes both the author and translator(s) of a work. The £50,000 prize is divided equally between them. Each shortlisted title receives £5,000, split between the author and translator(s). The shortlist of six books will be announced on March 31, 2026, and the winner will be crowned on May 19, 2026, at a ceremony in London.

A Decade of Celebrating Translated Fiction

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the International Booker Prize in its current form. Since its inception, the prize has promoted works in 10 languages and has been awarded to authors who have subsequently won the Nobel Prize in Literature, including Han Kang, Jon Fosse, Annie Ernaux, and Olga Tokarczuk. The prize has too contributed to a doubling of translated fiction sales in the UK.