The 2026 Booker Prize shortlist was announced on September 22, featuring six authors vying for the prestigious award. The shortlist includes two former winners, Marlon James and Douglas Stuart, who won in 2015 and 2020 respectively. James returns with his novel "The Disappearers", while Stuart is in contention with "John of John". The judging panel, chaired by classicist and broadcaster Mary Beard, chose the shortlist from 163 submissions and a longlist of 13 novels.
The judging panel consists of a diverse group of literary experts, including poet Raymond Antrobus, musician and writer Jarvis Cocker, journalist and critic Rebecca Liu, and novelist Patricia Lockwood. Mary Beard described the shortlisted novels as ranging "from the hilarious to the discomfiting, from the frighteningly strange to the alarmingly domestic". The six shortlisted authors will each receive £2,500, with the winner receiving an additional £50,000.
The shortlist features a mix of established authors and newcomers. Elizabeth Strout returns to the shortlist with "The Things We Never Say", having previously been shortlisted for "Oh William!" in 2022. M John Harrison, at 81, could become the oldest winner in the prize's history if he wins with "The End of Everything". Luke Kennard, Rebecca Perry, and Douglas Stuart are also in contention with their novels "Black Bag", "May We Feed the King", and "John of John" respectively.
Rebecca Perry's "May We Feed the King" is the only debut novel in contention. Her novel tells the story of a curator who becomes absorbed by the story of a largely forgotten king who never expected to rule. The novel explores the curator's attempts to recreate the king's life and court, and the gaps in the surviving evidence.
The novels on the shortlist explore a range of themes and genres. Marlon James' "The Disappearers" tells the story of a group of gay men in Kingston who come together to rehearse a play, only to be attacked by a mob. The novel explores the men's struggles to cope with the aftermath of the attack and their attempts to find justice.
Douglas Stuart's "John of John" is set in the 1990s and follows the story of a young man named John-Calum Macleod who returns to his family's croft in the Outer Hebrides. The novel explores John's struggles to find his place in the world and his relationships with his family and community.
The winner of the 2026 Booker Prize will be announced on November 9 in London. The prize is awarded each year to a book written in English and published in Britain or Ireland. The Booker Prize has a long history, having been first awarded in 1969.
Key points
- Two former winners, Marlon James and Douglas Stuart, are among the six authors on the 2026 Booker Prize shortlist.
- The shortlist features a mix of established authors and newcomers, including one debut novel.
- The winner of the 2026 Booker Prize will be announced on November 9 in London.
