International Booker Longlist
The International Booker Prize 2026 longlist of 13 books was announced this week under a panel chaired by Natasha Brown — the shortlist will be revealed later in the season (indianprinterpublisher.com). The longlist mixes established names and emerging voices, offering a broad reading list for literary‑minded travelers and readers (indianprinterpublisher.com).
The five judges read 128 novels and short‑story collections over an eight‑month judging period before narrowing the field (thebookerprizes.com)). The 2026 panel was chaired by Natasha Brown and included Marcus du Sautoy, translator Sophie Hughes, writer and bookseller Troy Onyango, and novelist and columnist Nilanjana S. Roy. (thebookerprizes.com)) The longlist spans 11 original languages and represents authors and translators from 14 nationalities across four continents, and it includes three debut writers, 13 previous nominees (including five returning author–translator pairings), plus two titles first published over 30 years ago and one work currently banned in Iran by an author who was previously imprisoned. (thebookerprizes.com)) Notable entries named by the Foundation include Shida Bazyar’s The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran (trans. Ruth Martin), Gabriela Cabezón Cámara’s We Are Green and Trembling (trans. Robin Myers), Mathias Énard’s The Deserters (trans. Charlotte Mandell), Marie NDiaye’s The Witch (trans. Jordan Stump) and Shahrnush Parsipur’s Women Without Men (trans. Faridoun Farrokh). (lithub.com)) Titles were eligible if translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026; the judges’ six‑book shortlist is scheduled for 31 March 2026 and the winner will be announced at a London ceremony on 19 May 2026, with the top prize of £50,000 split equally between author and translator and £5,000 awarded to each shortlisted title. (publishersweekly.com)) More than half the longlisted books were published by independent presses, including Foundry Editions earning its first nomination and Fitzcarraldo Editions achieving its 17th nod from the Booker Foundation. (thebookerprizes.com))
