Who Are The Authors Shortlisted For The International Booker Prize 2026

The International Booker Prize 2026 shortlist is here and so far we all have a fair idea of the books that have made their run for one of the highly regarded international awards for literary fiction.

Each year the International Booker Prize awards the best work of fiction translated in English and awards £50,000 to one author-translator pair, to be split equally after the win on May 19. Like usual, this year too, we are watching six books race for the win. Among them is She Who Remains, The Witch, The Nights Are Quiet In Tehran, Taiwan Travelogue, On Earth As It Is Beneath, and The Director. One of these books will set the readers up for a Brazilian nightmare, the other on a romance in Taiwan, and another one would be leave in the world of witches and nazis.

While we know much about the novels in translation and what they are about, what about the authors (and translators) who have worked on them. Here's everything you should know about the writers who wrote about the novels and why:

Daniel Kehlmann

The author of The Director Daniel Kehlmann has long been regarded as one of the most inventive voices in contemporary European fiction. His internationl breakthrough came with Measuring the World, a witty reimagining of the lives of scientists Alexander von Humboldt and Carl Friedrich Gauss, which became one of the best-selling German-language novels of the 21st century. Kehlmann frequently plays with form and perception- his novel Fame experiments with interconnected narratives in the digital age, while Tyll revisits the Thirty Years' War through the lens of a trickster figure. Across his body of work, he blends historical detail with metafictional humour, often questioning truth, authorship, and illusion.

Marie NDiaye

Marie NDiaye's literary career spans novels,plays, and children's literature, all marked by a haunting psychological depth. Having won prestigious Prix Goncourt for her novel Three Strong Women, which explores migration, resilience, and fractured identities across continents. Along with the currently shortlisted International Booker Prize The Witch, the French novelist's list of work includes Ladivine and My Heart Hemmed In, both of which delve into alienation and social unease with a surreal edge.

Yáng Shuāng-zǐ

Part of new generation of writers from Taiwan, Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, is reshaping contemporary Chinese-language fiction. Her work often explores youth, urban life, and emotional dislocation in a rapidly changing society. Beyond Taiwan Travelogue Yáng Shuāng-zǐ's work reflect on identity, mobility, and cultural memory in Taiwan’s global context. Though still emerging on the international stage, her writing has gained recognition for its intimacy and clarity, often capturing fleeting relationships and the quiet transformations of everyday life.

Shida Bazyar

Only one novel old, novelist of The Nights Are Quiet In Tehran is a powerful chronicler of diaspora and political struggle in contemporary Germany. Her debut novel Nachts ist es leise in Teheran (translated as The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran) was widely acclaimed for its multi-generational portrayal of an Iranian family shaped by revolution and exile. She followed it with Drei Kameradinnen, a sharp and urgent exploration of racism, activism, and friendship in modern Berlin. Rooted in lived realities, Shida Bazyar is an important voice in conversations about migration, belonging and resistance in Europe.

Rene Karabash

Rene Karabash's debut novel debut novel Ostaynitsa (translated as The Witch) drew attention for its raw portrayal of a young woman’s struggle against patriarchal oppression and violence. With She Who Remains, Karabash’s background in performance and spoken word poetry informs her intense, visceral style, often blurring the boundaries between prose and lyric expression shines. Her work frequently addresses themes of gender, body politics, and trauma, positioning her as a bold and uncompromising voice in Eastern European literature.

Ana Paula Maia

Ana Paula Maia works, including Of Cattle and Men and The Liar's Room, explore brutal environments—slaughterhouses, prisons, and industrial zones—where characters confront violence, labor, and existential despair. Across her writing she examines the overlooked corners of society, forcing readers to confront uncomfortable realities about power, survival, and humanity. Now, her latest work On Earth As It Is Beneath is running in the race to win the 2026 International Booker Prize.