The 2026 International Booker Prize Finalists have been Revealed

The six finalists for the 2026 International Booker Prize have been announced.

To be eligible for the International Booker Prize, formally known as the Man Booker International Prize, the work of fiction has to be originally written in a foreign lamguage and then translated into Enlgish and has to be published in the United Kingdom and/or Ireland.

Readers will notice that three of the six books nominated focus war and important moments in history that shaped the world into what it is today. We are still feeling the consequences of events such as imperialist Japan-controlled Taiwan in the 1930s, Nazi-era Germany and the 1979 Revolution.

“With narratives that capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history,” Natasha Brown, chair of this year’s International Booker Prize jury, said in a statement. “While there’s heartbreak, brutality, and isolation among these stories, their lasting effect is energising. Rereading each book, we judges found hope, insight and burning humanity – along with unforgettable characters to whom I’m sure readers will return again and again.”

Five of the six 2026 International Booker Prize authors are women as well as four of the translators. They hail from four different countinents and have include profesional backgrounds such as a manga writer and an actor.

The winning author and translator will split the £50,000 (about $66,000).prize money which will be announced on May 19. You can see the full list of finalists below:

2026 International Prize Finalists

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

How many of these books have you read or plan to read? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!

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