{"id":1941896,"date":"2026-05-18T15:35:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:35:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1941896"},"modified":"2026-05-18T15:35:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:35:26","slug":"colonial-ghosts-virgins-and-nazi-directors-the-international-booker-prize-2026-shortlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1941896","title":{"rendered":"Colonial ghosts, virgins and Nazi directors: The International Booker Prize 2026 shortlist"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/87\/76\/1200x675_cmsv2_edcb06dd-e20e-56ee-8e33-193f72de4300-9758776.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2894681-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894681\" data-cid=\"9763081\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894681-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/30\/81\/189x106_cmsv2_b82aa530-bac7-500d-a28d-c4ec2c65e450-9763081.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev addresses those gathered at the World Urban Forum in Baku, 18 May 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Azerbaijan<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;No society is immune&#8217; to housing crisis, UN chief warns at Baku forum\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894616-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894616\" data-cid=\"9762914\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894616-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/29\/14\/189x106_cmsv2_246c2984-88a3-5b6e-a047-48732e04c80a-9762914.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A man walks next to buildings destroyed in Israeli airstrikes the previous day in the southern village of Maarakeh, Lebanon, Sunday, May 17, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Lebanon<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Lebanese president vows to &#8216;do the impossible&#8217; to end war with Israel\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894596-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894596\" data-cid=\"9762951\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894596-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/25\/22\/189x106_cmsv2_b6e7abe0-0902-5d3f-bbec-d3c1f97ce794-9762522.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Belarus announced the start of training on the combat use of nuclear weapons\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Belarus<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Belarus stages nuclear drills with Russia amid new offensive fears\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894613-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894613\" data-cid=\"9762611\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894613-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/26\/11\/189x106_cmsv2_a6cd7cab-b357-58d9-9e96-64990440709e-9762611.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A protester gestures during a public transport strike over fuel prices in Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, May 18, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Teargas fired as protests erupt over rising fuel prices in Kenya\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894681-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894681\" data-cid=\"9763081\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894681-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/30\/81\/189x106_cmsv2_b82aa530-bac7-500d-a28d-c4ec2c65e450-9763081.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev addresses those gathered at the World Urban Forum in Baku, 18 May 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Azerbaijan<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;No society is immune&#8217; to housing crisis, UN chief warns at Baku forum\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894616-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894616\" data-cid=\"9762914\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894616-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/29\/14\/189x106_cmsv2_246c2984-88a3-5b6e-a047-48732e04c80a-9762914.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A man walks next to buildings destroyed in Israeli airstrikes the previous day in the southern village of Maarakeh, Lebanon, Sunday, May 17, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Lebanon<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Lebanese president vows to &#8216;do the impossible&#8217; to end war with Israel\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894596-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894596\" data-cid=\"9762951\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894596-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/25\/22\/189x106_cmsv2_b6e7abe0-0902-5d3f-bbec-d3c1f97ce794-9762522.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Belarus announced the start of training on the combat use of nuclear weapons\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Belarus<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Belarus stages nuclear drills with Russia amid new offensive fears\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894613-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894613\" data-cid=\"9762611\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894613-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/26\/11\/189x106_cmsv2_a6cd7cab-b357-58d9-9e96-64990440709e-9762611.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A protester gestures during a public transport strike over fuel prices in Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, May 18, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Teargas fired as protests erupt over rising fuel prices in Kenya\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Culture<\/p>\n<p>                          Culture news<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Colonial ghosts, virgins and Nazi directors: The International Booker Prize 2026 shortlist<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/87\/76\/1536x864_cmsv2_edcb06dd-e20e-56ee-8e33-193f72de4300-9758776.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"2026 International Booker prize shortlist preview\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              2026 International Booker prize shortlist preview<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Credit: India Hobson for Booker Prize Foundation<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Credit: India Hobson for Booker Prize Foundation\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspTheo Farrant\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1779118526\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-05-18 17:35:26 +02:00\">18\/05\/2026 &#8211; 17:35 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center 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class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        This year&#8217;s International Booker Prize shortlist of six novels take readers from a Japanese colonial-era Taiwan to the propaganda studios of Nazi Germany.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--culture js-article-content\">\n<p>The wait is almost over. The winner of the International Booker Prize 2026 will be announced this week. <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>There are six stunning translated works competing for the main prize of \u20ac57,000 and the honour of collecting one of the world&#8217;s most prestigious literary awards. <\/p>\n<p>Each shortlisted author and translator also receives nearly \u20ac3,000.<\/p>\n<p>The prize is awarded annually for a single book, translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland.<\/p>\n<p>This year, five of the six shortlisted authors are women, as are four of the six translators, and the books were originally written in five different languages, with authors and translators together representing eight nationalities.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">The art of translation: Discussing the art form with International Booker Prize judge Sophie Hughes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Judging chair and author Natasha Brown said the six shortlisted books &#8220;capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>She added: &#8220;Rereading each book, we found hope, insight and burning humanity &#8211; along with unforgettable characters to whom I&#8217;m sure readers will return again and again.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/87\/76\/808x539_cmsv2_fa15bd98-1217-5a08-9fed-a2e2f770e4e8-9758776.jpg\" alt=\"The International Booker Prize 2026 shortlist\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">The International Booker Prize 2026 shortlist<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Credit: International Booker Prize\/India Hobson<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Here is what you need to know about each contender.<\/p>\n<h2><em>Taiwan Travelogue<\/em> &#8211; Y\u00e1ng Shu\u0101ng-z\u01d0, translated by Lin King<\/h2>\n<p>Set in 1930s Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, the novel follows Japanese writer Aoyama Chizuko and her Taiwanese interpreter as they travel around the island with Chizuko. <\/p>\n<p>At its heart is the intimate relationship between the two women: charged with queer desire, unspoken longing, and the tensions of colonial life, played out through shared meals and half-finished sentences.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;With sumptuous food writing, laugh-out-loud dialogue and metafictional twists, this novel was impossible to put down. <em>Taiwan Travelogue<\/em> pulls off an incredible double act: it succeeds as both a delicious romance and an incisive postcolonial novel,&#8221; say the competition judges. <\/p>\n<p>It was first published in Mandarin Chinese in 2020 and took home the Golden Tripod award &#8211; Taiwan&#8217;s most prestigious literary prize &#8211; before being translated into English. <\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>She Who Remains<\/em> &#8211; Rene Karabash, translated by Izidora Angel<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Set in a disappearing Albanian community ruled by the ancient Kanun of Lek\u00eb Dukagjini &#8211; a legal code that treats women as property &#8211; this novel centres on Bekija, a 33-year-old facing a forced marriage. <\/p>\n<p>Her escape is to be renamed Matija and become the community&#8217;s last &#8220;sworn virgin,&#8221; socially transitioning from female to male.<\/p>\n<p>According to the judges, the novel &#8220;perfectly captures the slippery uncertainty of painful memories. Matija is a compelling narrator, whose story swept us up completely.&#8221; <\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>The Witch<\/em> &#8211; Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Originally published in French in 1996, <em>The Witch<\/em> tells the story of Lucie, a &#8220;mediocre&#8221; witch in a stifling, small-town French marriage. Her daughters inherit her magic and immediately fly the nest (literally), her husband leaves, and the family she built falls apart around her. <\/p>\n<p>Witty, dreamlike, unsettling and enchanting, <em>The Witch<\/em> brings the mysteries of womanhood and motherhood into sharp relief, according to the jury.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The language in this novel \u2013 and in Jordan Stump\u2019s translation \u2013 is exquisite: sentences twist and transform in unexpected ways,&#8221; say the judges. <\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>The Nights Are Quiet In Tehran<\/em> &#8211; Shida Bazyar, translated by Ruth Martin<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Starting in the wake of the 1979 Iranian revolution and spanning four decades, <em>The Nights Are Quiet In Tehran<\/em> follows one family across upheaval and exile.<\/p>\n<p>Each of the four sections is narrated by a different family member &#8211; a revolutionary father, a literature-loving mother, a daughter visiting Iran for the first time, a son pulled into politics by the 2009 Green Movement &#8211; each a decade apart.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran<\/em> is a moving novel about oppression, resistance, and the absolute desire for freedom.<\/p>\n<h2><em>The Director<\/em> &#8211; Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross Benjamin<\/h2>\n<p>When the Nazis seize power in the 1930s, G.W. Pabst, one of cinema\u2019s greatest directors, is filming in France. To escape the horrors of the new Germany, he flees to Hollywood. But under the dazzling California sun, the world-famous director suddenly looks like a nobody. Not even Greta Garbo, whom he made famous, can help him. <\/p>\n<p><em>The Director<\/em> is a novel about the dangerous illusions of the silver screen. It delves into an artist&#8217;s life and pact with the devil while exploring the complicated relationships and distinctions between art and power, beauty and barbarism.<\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>On Earth As It Is Beneath<\/em> &#8211; Ana Paula Maia, translated by Padma Viswanathan<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>On land where enslaved people were once tortured and murdered, the state built a penal colony in the wilderness, where inmates could be rehabilitated, but never escape.<\/p>\n<p>But in the prison\u2019s waning days, a new horror is unleashed: every full-moon night, the inmates are released, the warden is armed with rifles, and the hunt begins.<\/p>\n<p>The judges have described this as &#8220;an unsettling novel that sets us among an isolated group of men whose bonds break down in ways both hard to comprehend and impossible to look away from.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>The winning book will be announced from 23h CET on Tuesday, 19 May 2026 at a ceremony at Tate Modern in London.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__container\">\n<article id=\"abe-2891974-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2891974\" data-cid=\"9750280\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891974-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/02\/80\/480x270_cmsv2_f8a86f40-9615-5b6f-9245-66a157b02eb4-9750280.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Audible's Story House in New York, 1 May 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Read all about it: Audible opens bookless pop-up audio bookstore<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2802761-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2802761\" data-cid=\"9296065\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2802761-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/29\/60\/65\/480x270_cmsv2_84a993cf-77b3-5d8f-a043-f7dabff94b5b-9296065.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Banu Mushtaq, author of 'Heart Lamp', wins the International Booker Prize in London - Tuesday 20 May 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Banu Mushtaq makes history with International Booker Prize win<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2280248-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2280248\" data-cid=\"7626170\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2280248-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/62\/61\/70\/480x270_cmsv2_be3efd3c-93e8-5805-8fc5-d0dc97404c35-7626170.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Georgi Gospodinov with his award winning novel\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    International Booker Prize winner Gospodinov hails Balkan tales<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  International Booker Prize<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  reading<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Literature<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Books<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2894501-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894501\" data-cid=\"9762103\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894501-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/20\/71\/320x180_cmsv2_bdcf9398-8ed3-53df-b125-8ebbdc110d18-9762071.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Shakira speaks on a panel about the half-time show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup during the Global Citizen NOW Summit on 14 May 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Shakira wins lengthy legal battle over Spanish tax authorities<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2894472-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894472\" data-cid=\"9761919\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894472-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/19\/19\/320x180_cmsv2_2b062709-6bb4-5873-a6b1-875934353ced-9761919.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Swiss police officers secure the area where customers queue to buy the new Royal Pop watch by Swatch and Audemars Piguet, in Geneva, Switzerland, Saturday, May 16, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Swatch appeals for calm as &#8216;Royal Pop&#8217; watch fever spreads online<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2894564-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894564\" data-cid=\"9762414\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894564-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/14\/320x180_cmsv2_4d9eb40b-8192-5814-9bf2-d80ed1a5302b-9762414.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Javier Bardem poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'The Beloved' during the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Sunday, May 17, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Javier Bardem attacks Trump, Putin and Netanyahu for &#8216;toxic behaviour&#8217;<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2894175-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894175\" data-cid=\"9760870\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894175-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/08\/70\/320x180_cmsv2_bd7c84e6-13af-51b1-b839-e4036287b71e-9760870.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Dara from Bulgaria holds up the trophy after winning the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, May 17, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026 as public push Israel into second place<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2894333-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894333\" data-cid=\"9761529\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894333-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/15\/29\/320x180_cmsv2_487883f7-bb37-580f-8657-46069850ea63-9761529.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"AP Photo\/Martin Meissner\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Noam thanks supporters after controversial Eurovision second place<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-2\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2893950-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893950\" data-cid=\"9759857\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pompeii: A doctor identified thanks to his instruments<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2894175-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894175\" data-cid=\"9760870\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026 as public push Israel into second place<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2894501-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894501\" data-cid=\"9762103\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Shakira wins lengthy legal battle over Spanish tax authorities<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2891586-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object 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class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891974-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2891974\" data-cid=\"9750280\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891974-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/02\/80\/480x270_cmsv2_f8a86f40-9615-5b6f-9245-66a157b02eb4-9750280.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Audible's Story House in New York, 1 May 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Read all about it: Audible opens bookless pop-up audio bookstore<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2802761-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2802761\" data-cid=\"9296065\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2802761-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/29\/60\/65\/480x270_cmsv2_84a993cf-77b3-5d8f-a043-f7dabff94b5b-9296065.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Banu Mushtaq, author of 'Heart Lamp', wins the International Booker Prize in London - Tuesday 20 May 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Banu Mushtaq makes history with International Booker Prize win<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2280248-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2280248\" data-cid=\"7626170\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2280248-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/62\/61\/70\/480x270_cmsv2_be3efd3c-93e8-5805-8fc5-d0dc97404c35-7626170.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Georgi Gospodinov with his award winning novel\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    International Booker Prize winner Gospodinov hails Balkan tales<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894501-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894501\" data-cid=\"9762103\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894501-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/20\/71\/320x180_cmsv2_bdcf9398-8ed3-53df-b125-8ebbdc110d18-9762071.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Shakira speaks on a panel about the half-time show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup during the Global Citizen NOW Summit on 14 May 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Shakira wins lengthy legal battle over Spanish tax authorities<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894472-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894472\" data-cid=\"9761919\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894472-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/19\/19\/320x180_cmsv2_2b062709-6bb4-5873-a6b1-875934353ced-9761919.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Swiss police officers secure the area where customers queue to buy the new Royal Pop watch by Swatch and Audemars Piguet, in Geneva, Switzerland, Saturday, May 16, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Swatch appeals for calm as &#8216;Royal Pop&#8217; watch fever spreads online<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894564-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894564\" data-cid=\"9762414\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894564-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/14\/320x180_cmsv2_4d9eb40b-8192-5814-9bf2-d80ed1a5302b-9762414.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Javier Bardem poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'The Beloved' during the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Sunday, May 17, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Javier Bardem attacks Trump, Putin and Netanyahu for &#8216;toxic behaviour&#8217;<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894175-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894175\" data-cid=\"9760870\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894175-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/08\/70\/320x180_cmsv2_bd7c84e6-13af-51b1-b839-e4036287b71e-9760870.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Dara from Bulgaria holds up the trophy after winning the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, May 17, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026 as public push Israel into second place<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894333-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894333\" data-cid=\"9761529\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894333-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/15\/29\/320x180_cmsv2_487883f7-bb37-580f-8657-46069850ea63-9761529.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"AP Photo\/Martin Meissner\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Noam thanks supporters after controversial Eurovision second place<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893950-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893950\" data-cid=\"9759857\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pompeii: A doctor identified thanks to his instruments<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894175-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894175\" data-cid=\"9760870\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026 as public push Israel into second place<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894501-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894501\" data-cid=\"9762103\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Shakira wins lengthy legal battle over Spanish tax authorities<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891586-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2891586\" data-cid=\"9748424\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    International jazz festival draws thousands with free open-air concert<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894333-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894333\" data-cid=\"9761529\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Noam thanks supporters after controversial Eurovision second place<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">The wait is almost over. The winner of the International Booker Prize 2026 will be announced this week.There are six stunning translated works competing for the main prize of \u20ac57,000 and the honour of collecting one of the world&#8217;s most prestigious literary awards.Each shortlisted author and translator also receives nearly \u20ac3,000.The prize is awarded annually for a single book, translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland.This year, five of the six shortlisted authors are women, as are four of the six translators, and the books were originally written in five different languages, with authors and translators together representing eight nationalities.Judging chair and author Natasha Brown said the six shortlisted books &#8220;capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history.&#8221;She added: &#8220;Rereading each book, we found hope, insight and burning humanity &#8211; along with unforgettable characters to whom I&#8217;m sure readers will return again and again.&#8221;Here is what you need to know about each contender.Taiwan Travelogue &#8211; Y\u00e1ng Shu\u0101ng-z\u01d0, translated by Lin KingSet in 1930s Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, the novel follows Japanese writer Aoyama Chizuko and her Taiwanese interpreter as they travel around the island with Chizuko.At its heart is the intimate relationship between the two women: charged with queer desire, unspoken longing, and the tensions of colonial life, played out through shared meals and half-finished sentences.&#8221;With sumptuous food writing, laugh-out-loud dialogue and metafictional twists, this novel was impossible to put down. Taiwan Travelogue pulls off an incredible double act: it succeeds as both a delicious romance and an incisive postcolonial novel,&#8221; say the competition judges.It was first published in Mandarin Chinese in 2020 and took home the Golden Tripod award &#8211; Taiwan&#8217;s most prestigious literary prize &#8211; before being translated into English.She Who Remains &#8211; Rene Karabash, translated by Izidora AngelSet in a disappearing Albanian community ruled by the ancient Kanun of Lek\u00eb Dukagjini &#8211; a legal code that treats women as property &#8211; this novel centres on Bekija, a 33-year-old facing a forced marriage.Her escape is to be renamed Matija and become the community&#8217;s last &#8220;sworn virgin,&#8221; socially transitioning from female to male.According to the judges, the novel &#8220;perfectly captures the slippery uncertainty of painful memories. Matija is a compelling narrator, whose story swept us up completely.&#8221;The Witch &#8211; Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan StumpOriginally published in French in 1996, The Witch tells the story of Lucie, a &#8220;mediocre&#8221; witch in a stifling, small-town French marriage. Her daughters inherit her magic and immediately fly the nest (literally), her husband leaves, and the family she built falls apart around her.Witty, dreamlike, unsettling and enchanting, The Witch brings the mysteries of womanhood and motherhood into sharp relief, according to the jury.&#8221;The language in this novel\u00a0\u2013 and in Jordan Stump\u2019s translation \u2013\u00a0is exquisite: sentences twist and transform in unexpected ways,&#8221; say the judges.The Nights Are Quiet In Tehran &#8211; Shida Bazyar, translated by Ruth MartinStarting in the wake of the 1979 Iranian revolution and spanning four decades, The Nights Are Quiet In Tehran follows one family across upheaval and exile.Each of the four sections is narrated by a different family member &#8211; a revolutionary father, a literature-loving mother, a daughter visiting Iran for the first time, a son pulled into politics by the 2009 Green Movement &#8211; each a decade apart.The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran is a moving novel about oppression, resistance, and the absolute desire for freedom.The Director &#8211; Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross BenjaminWhen the Nazis seize power in the 1930s, G.W. Pabst, one of cinema\u2019s greatest directors, is filming in France. To escape the horrors of the new Germany, he flees to Hollywood. But under the dazzling California sun, the world-famous director suddenly looks like a nobody. Not even Greta Garbo, whom he made famous, can help him.\u00a0\u00a0The Director is a novel about the dangerous illusions of the silver screen. It delves into an artist&#8217;s life and pact with the devil while exploring the complicated relationships and distinctions between art and power, beauty and barbarism.On Earth As It Is Beneath &#8211; Ana Paula Maia, translated by Padma ViswanathanOn land where enslaved people were once tortured and murdered, the state built a penal colony in the wilderness, where inmates could be rehabilitated, but never escape.But in the prison\u2019s waning days, a new horror is unleashed: every full-moon night, the inmates are released, the warden is armed with rifles, and the hunt begins.The judges have described this as &#8220;an unsettling novel that sets us among an isolated group of men whose bonds break down in ways both hard to comprehend and impossible to look away from.&#8221;The winning book will be announced from 23h CET on Tuesday, 19 May 2026 at a ceremony at Tate Modern in London.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/2026\/05\/18\/colonial-ghosts-virgins-and-nazi-directors-the-international-booker-prize-2026-shortlist&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/87\/76\/1200x675_cmsv2_edcb06dd-e20e-56ee-8e33-193f72de4300-9758776.jpg&#8221;] Azerbaijan &#8216;No society is immune&#8217; to housing crisis, UN chief warns at Baku forum Lebanon Lebanese president vows to &#8216;do the impossible&#8217; to end war with Israel Belarus Belarus stages nuclear drills with Russia amid new offensive fears No Comment Teargas fired as protests erupt over rising fuel prices in Kenya Azerbaijan [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1941896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1941896","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1941896"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1941896\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1941896"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1941896"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1941896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}