The shortlist for the International Booker Prize 2026, supported by Bukhman Philanthropies, encapsulates a broad range of global experiences, with many of the novels drawing on real moments from history as inspiration. 

The six shortlisted books will transport you from Japan-ruled Taiwan in the 1930s to Nazi-controlled Europe during the Second World War, from magic and domesticity in suburban France in the 1990s to the turmoil and after-effects of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, from a brutal prison in a remote corner of Brazil to a strict patriarchal community in the Albanian Alps.

Reflecting on the six shortlisted books, Natasha Brown, Chair of this year’s judging panel, said: ‘With narratives that capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history. While there’s heartbreak, brutality and isolation among these stories, their lasting effect is energising.’

Our reading guides feature insights from critics, our judges and the books’ authors and translators, as well as discussion points and suggestions for further reading.