The Booker Prize judges have announced their selection of 13 longlisted novels, including works by Elizabeth Strout, Douglas Stuart, and Marlon James. The prestigious literary award will announce its shortlist in September and crown a winner in November.
The 2026 Booker Prize longlist has been unveiled, featuring thirteen novels chosen from 163 submissions. The judging panel, chaired by classicist Mary Beard, described the selected works as offering diverse settings and narratives ranging from post-apocalyptic Kent to 1980s Jamaica, with storylines spanning Mexico City, a remote Scottish island, and coastal Massachusetts.
Among the longlisted authors are three previous Booker Prize shortlistees, including two former winners. Douglas Stuart returns after his 2020 victory for "Shuggie Bain", while Marlon James, who previously won the prize, is recognised for "The Disappearers", a 600-page novel about eight gay men in Kingston, Jamaica. Elizabeth Strout, another shortlistee veteran, is included for "The Things We Never Say". Rebecca Perry's debut novel "May We Feed the King" secured recognition following her recent win of the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize.
The longlist encompasses works across varied genres and themes. Emma Cline's "Switzy" explores assisted suicide in Switzerland, while Kenan Orhan's debut "The Renovation" follows a psychologist managing her father's dementia in Italy. At 28 years old, Djamel White is the youngest longlisted author, while 81-year-old M. John Harrison is the oldest. The shortest book on the list is Makenna Goodman's "Helen of Nowhere" at 140 pages, contrasting sharply with James's 600-page contribution.
Notable omissions from the longlist include acclaimed authors Maggie O'Farrell, Ann Patchett, and Julian Barnes, whose final novel "Departure(s)" many anticipated would be recognised. The selection will be reduced to a six-book shortlist on 22 September, with the winner announced on 9 November. The prize winner will receive £50,000, while each shortlisted author receives £2,500 and a specially bound edition of their work.
