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Booker Prize 2026 Shortlist Revealed: Six Tales of Hidden Selves and Lost Love
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News18•24-09-2026, 20:26
Booker Prize 2026 Shortlist Revealed: Six Tales of Hidden Selves and Lost Love
- •The 2026 Booker Prize shortlist features six books exploring themes of belonging, grief, love, and hidden aspects of identity.
- •M. John Harrison's "The End of Everything" depicts a man encountering a strange creature amidst a world in decline.
- •Marlon James's "The Disappearers" follows eight gay men in 1988 Kingston dealing with trauma after a violent attack.
- •Luke Kennard's "Black Bag" questions visibility and masculinity through an unemployed actor zipped inside a bag for an experiment.
- •Rebecca Perry's "May We Feed the King" delves into a curator's obsession with a forgotten king, exploring desire and memory; Elizabeth Strout's "The Things We Never Say" uncovers secrets and grief in a long-married man's life; Douglas Stuart's "John of John" sees a man confront his father's strict faith on the Isle of Harris.
Key Questions Answered
The winner of the 2026 Booker Prize will be announced on November 9.
Set in 1988 Kingston, 'The Disappearers' follows eight gay men rehearsing a play until a violent mob attack forces survivors to live with lasting trauma and a choice between revenge and moving on.
The 2026 shortlist features former Booker Prize winners Marlon James and Douglas Stuart, who both have an opportunity to win the prestigious literary award for a second time.
