Previous winners Douglas Stuart and Marlon James lead Booker prize longlist

The 2026 Booker Prize longlist features a blend of established literary giants and new voices. Previous winners Douglas Stuart and Marlon James return to the competition, with their respective novels John of John and The Disappearers. They join a list of 13 books that focus on diverse storytelling across three continents.

Mary Beard, who serves as the chair of the judging panel, noted the ambition present in these selections. The 2026 panel also includes Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker. They reviewed 163 submissions to select these 13 titles, which showcase authors from seven different nationalities. Almost half of the authors selected for this year's longlist are from the UK.

The longlist rewards risk, according to Gaby Wood, chief executive of the Booker Prize Foundation. Ten authors appear on this list for the first time, including debut novelists Kenan Orhan, Rebecca Perry, and Djamel White. The selections include narratives that span from campus comedies to serious examinations of historical events.

Notable contenders include Elizabeth Strout, who received her third nomination for The Things We Never Say. If either Stuart or James wins, they will become only the fifth author to receive the award twice. M John Harrison, at 81 years old, is the oldest writer on this year’s list. The shortlist is scheduled for announcement on September 22, with the final winner named on November 9.