Booker Prize shortlist: Six novels capture modern anxieties

The six-book Booker Prize shortlist for 2026 was announced, featuring works by Marlon James and Elizabeth Strout that explore contemporary social anxieties, political tensions, and human struggles. Jury chair Mary Beard emphasized that reading teaches people how to think about the world, even if the books don't make them feel better. James's "The Disappearers" is a 600-page novel about a brutal assault on gay men in 1980s Jamaica, while Strout's "The Things We Never Say" is set against Donald Trump's second presidential campaign. Other finalists include Douglas Stuart's "John of John," Luke Kennard's "Black Bag," M John Harrison's "The End of Everything," and Rebecca Perry's "May We Feed the King." The shortlist has sparked debate over omissions, including works by Anne Patchett and Maggie O'Farrell. The winner will be announced on November 9.