Booker Prize 2026: A diverse list to inspire all sorts of readers – six experts review the nominees

When the Booker Prize was first launched in 1969, its aim was to get more people reading and to stimulate discussion about contemporary literature. Now, we all know reading is at an all-time low, but there really has never been a better time to reignite your love of fiction and to discover (or rediscover) your love of reading. And this year’s shortlist is really a testament to the breadth of stories available out there.

There’s poetic historic fiction with May we Feed the King about a reluctant medieval king from Rebecca Perry. For lovers of science fiction, M. John Harrison has written a tale about aliens and social collapse set on the Kentish coast. And, there’s laughter to be found in Black Bag by Luke Kennard about an out-of-work actor who lands a gig in a psychological experiment.