The 10-title longlist also includes two debut novels among literary heavy-hitters
Credit: Riverhead Books; Harper; Europa Editions
NEED TO KNOW
- The National Book Foundation has announced the longlist for the 2026 National Book Award for Fiction
- The 10-title longlist includes seasoned authors and debut novelists
- See the full of contenders here
This year’s National Book Awards fiction longlist has arrived.
The National Book Foundation, the non-profit organization that presents the annual literary prize, announced the longlist for the 2026 National Book Award for Fiction on Thursday, Sept. 17.
Among the longlist are authors previously honored by the National Book Foundation: Hannah Lillith Assadi for the novel Paradiso 17; Edwidge Danticat for the novel Dèy; Kimberley Blaeser for the short story collection Red Ants; Marlon James for the novel The Disappearers; Louise Erdrich for the short story collection Python’s Kiss and Valeria Luiselli for the novel Beginning Middle End.
Credit: Knopf; Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Knopf
Among the longlist are two debut novels: The Renovation by Kenan Orhan and Mad Eden by Morgan Thomas. Rounding out the longlist are Julián Delgado Lopera for the novel Pretend You’re Dead and I Carry You and Alexander Maksik for the novel Passengers.
A total of 451 books were submitted for award consideration this year, per a statement shared with PEOPLE. Judges for the fiction category included Matt Bell, Danielle King, Akhil Sharma, Diana Wilson and chair Caro De Robertis.
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Established in 1950, the National Book Award is one of the United States’ most prestigious literary prizes. The National Book Foundation also presents awards for nonfiction, poetry, young people’s literature and translated literature.
This year, author Salman Rushdie will receive the 2026 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
“Rushdie’s novels and short story collections are set across real and imagined landscapes, and his writing thrives in its specificity — offering readers access to unflinchingly honest stories that are culturally, politically and geographically varied,” said Ruth Dickey, executive director of the National Book Foundation, in a statement. “It is our distinct pleasure to honor Mr. Rushdie’s deeply transformative writing and rich literary career at the 77th National Book Awards Ceremony.”
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The winners of the National Book Award will be announced at the 77th National Book Awards ceremony and benefit dinner on Nov. 18 in New York City.
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