Literary news · Awards

International Booker longlist signals a strong year for translated fiction

Thirteen titles from eleven languages make this one of the most geographically varied longlists in the prize's history.

By Hana Watanabe · 28 July 2026 · 3 min read

The longlist spans eleven source languages, with three debut novelists and two independent presses appearing for the first time.

Judges described the year's submissions as unusually strong in short-form fiction, with two collections making the cut.

The shortlist is announced in September, with the winner named in November.