18 Chait, Kathmandu. Finalist for the ‘International Booker Prize 2026’, one of the most prestigious awards in world literature public has been done

In this year’s list, 6 best novels have managed to make a place in the difficult times of history, revolution, search for identity and deep stories of human feelings.

These works, written in languages ​​other than English, translated and published in Britain and Ireland, have attracted the attention of readers all over the world.

This year’s selection committee chairman and author Natasa Brown issued a statement and said, ‘These books have brought alive different periods of the last century. Although it contains heartbreaking pain, cruelty and loneliness, in the end it gives hope and energy to the reader. These are such unforgettable characters that the reader will remember again and again.’

The predominance of female writers and translators

A strong presence of women has been seen in the ‘shortlist’ this time. 5 out of 6 writers and 4 translators are women. Also, these authors come from different professional backgrounds in four continents. For example, Taiwan’s Yang Suwang-ji writes manga video game scripts, while Bulgaria’s Renee Karabas is an established actress.

Books that made it to the last 6:

The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran: Written by Shida Baziar and translated from German by Ruth Martin, this novel is a story from the Iranian Revolution (1979) to the ‘Green Revolution’ of 2009. Through the story of four generations of a family, it beautifully presents the struggle against dictatorship and the pain of losing the motherland.

See Who Remains: This novel by Rene Karabas is based on the rural society of Albania. Bekja, a young woman, decides to live as a man to avoid a beggar marriage. It is a poignant story of patriarchal society and self-identity.

The Director: Written by Daniel Kelman, this novel is a historical narrative based on the life of Austrian filmmaker GW Pabst. It shows how an actor who left Hollywood and returned home during Nazi Germany struggles between the power’s propaganda and his morals.

On Earth As It Is Beneath: This ‘horror’ novel by Brazilian Ana Paula Maia is a story of a remote prison, where the jailer releases the prisoners into the forest and hunts them. It is called ‘poetry written in blood’.

The Witch: This novel by French writer Marie Ndiaye is an old work published in 1996. But due to its magical and mysterious story, it has gained popularity again this year. It presents the power and family relationship of a witch Lucy and her daughter in an interesting manner.

Taiwan Travelogue: This novel by Yang Suwang-ji is a travelogue of Taiwan under Japanese control in the 1930s. The relationship and power structure between a Japanese novelist and his Taiwanese interpreter is finely detailed.

The winner will be announced on May 19. The winning author and translator will jointly receive a prize of 50,000 pounds. Last year, ‘Heart Lamp’, a story of Indian Muslim women, won this award.