Marlon James and Douglas Stuart have been shortlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize along with four other authors. The prize recognizes the best novel written in English published in the U.K., offering £50,000 to the winner. This year's nominees include James for "The Disappearers" and Stuart for "John of John." Notably, both previously won the award; James in 2015 and Stuart in 2020. The shortlist also features novels by M. John Harrison, Luke Kennard, Rebecca Perry, and Elizabeth Strout.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-22,
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Story summary
Marlon James and Douglas Stuart, both previous winners of the prestigious Booker Prize, have been shortlisted again for this year's award. The judges narrowed down 13 semifinalists to six after a challenging selection process described as "a tussle." Alongside James and Stuart, the other contenders are British authors M John Harrison, Luke Kennard (for his novel "Black Bag"), and Rebecca Perry, along with American novelist Elizabeth Strout.
James is nominated for his latest novel, The Disappearers, which recounts a murder of a gay man in 1980s Jamaica and its aftermath. Stuart's shortlisted work is John of John, a story about father-son secrets on a remote Scottish island. The £50,000 prize (approximately $93,851 CAD) annually recognizes the best original novel written in English published in the UK.
If James or Stuart wins this year’s award, they will join an elite group of five authors to have won the Booker Prize twice. This year's shortlisted books are described by the judges as moving, pacey, funny, violent, intriguing, horrifying, and hopeful.
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Marlon James and Douglas Stuart among 6 authors shortlisted for this year's Booker Prize
Annual U.K. prize honours best novel written in English from anywhere in the world
Previous winners Marlon James and Douglas Stuart are among the six writers shortlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize.
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James → shortlist → Prize
The Jamaican-born James is shortlisted for his novel The Disappearers and Stuart, a Scottish American novelist, is recognized for John of John.
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Stuart → bear → John
The £50,000 (approx. $93,851 Cdn) prize annually recognizes the best original novel written in the English language and published in the U.K.
The shortlist also includes English author M. John Harrison's The End of Everything, U.K. poet and writer Luke Kennard's Black Bag, English writer Rebecca Perry's May We Feed the King and American author Elizabeth Strout's The Things We Never Say.
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We → recognize → King
The Disappearers recounts the murder of a gay man in 1980s Jamaica and its tragic aftermath.
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Disappearers → recount → Jamaica
When eight gay men in Kingston begin rehearsing for a play — they know the danger they may be in.
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they → begin → danger
Their worst fears are realized when a mob brutally attacks, leaving one of the men dead — while the survivors are left to grapple with the rage and hatred that puts them in harm’s way for merely existing.
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that → realize → way
"A Jamaican epic from one of the most impactful Caribbean novelists today; readers will love the shifting register of the dialogue and poetic phrasings, often pierced through with sharp, double-edged humour," the jury said in their citation for The Disappearers.
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jury → love → Disappearers
James is the author of five novels including John Crow's Devil, The Book of Night Women, Black Leopard, Red Wolf and its sequel Moon Witch, Spider King.
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James → include → Women
His 2026 nomination marks the third time James has been up for the prize.
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James → mark → prize
His novel A Brief History of Seven Killings won the Booker Prize in 2015 and he was also longlisted in 2019 for Black Leopard, Red Wolf.
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he → win → Leopard
John of John is set in Scotland, on the Hebridean island of Lewis and Harris.
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John → set → Lewis
The novel centres on young returning islander Cal and his relationships with his father and grandmother, his queerness, their Calvinist religion and belonging.
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novel → centre → father
"A rich and moving novel about a father and son who live on a remote Scottish island in the 1990s, where small-town secrets and buried shame reverberate to surprising, devastating and even joyous effect," the jury said in their citation.
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jury → live → citation
Stuart won the Booker Prize in 2020 for his debut novel Shuggie Bain.
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Stuart → win → novel
This year's Booker Prize jury is comprised of poet, writer and educator Raymond Antrobus, musician, writer and broadcaster Jarvis Cocker, journalist, editor and critic Rebecca Liu and poet and essayist Patricia Lockwood.
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jury → comprise → Antrobus
The jury is chaired by English classicist, writer and broadcaster Mary Beard.
The six-book shortlist was whittled down from a longlist of 13.
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shortlist → chair → 13
Shortlisted writers will receive £2,500 (approx. $4,692 Cdn) and a specially bound copy of their book.
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writers → receive → book
The 2026 winner will be announced at an award ceremony on Nov. 9 in London.
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winner → announce → London
In 2025, Montreal-born author David Szalay won the Booker prize for his novel Flesh.
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Szalay → bear → novel
Two other Canadians have won the prize since its inception in 1969: Michael Ondaatje in 1992 for The English Patient and Yann Martel in 2002 for Life of Pi.
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Canadians → win → Pi
The Aporia
