Booker Prize announces six finalists for 2026

The six finalists for the 2026 Booker Prize have been announced, selected from 163 English-language novels. The shortlist features two previous winners: Jamaican author Marlon James for ‘The Disappearers’ and Scottish author Douglas Stuart for ‘John of John’.

The full list of finalists includes: - ‘The End of Everything’ by M. John Harrison - ‘The Disappearers’ by Marlon James - ‘Black Bag’ by Luke Kennard - ‘May We Feed The King’ by Rebecca Perry - ‘The Things We Never Say’ by Elizabeth Strout - ‘John of John’ by Douglas Stuart

The judging panel was led by classics scholar Mary Beard and included poet Raymond Antrobus, musician Jarvis Cocker, critic Rebecca Liu, and writer Patricia Lockwood. The jury described the selected works as diverse in genre and tone, ranging from family sagas and historical narratives to social satire and post-apocalyptic stories. The winner will be announced in London on November 9.