Literature Nominations 2026
Wendy Erskine
The Benefactors
Wendy Erskine's The Benefactors is a fiercely original and formally ambitious novel that explores class, power, justice and family through a brilliantly polyphonic narrative. Set in contemporary Belfast, it captures a community through an extraordinary chorus of voices, creating a vivid and emotionally complex portrait of inequality and privilege. Balancing formal innovation with profound humanity, Erskine brings nuance, empathy and insight to difficult questions of responsibility, parenthood and social power. The result is a novel that feels both urgent and timeless, expanding the possibilities of contemporary fiction.
Oyinkan Braithwaite
Cursed Daughters
Blending folklore, family history and contemporary Nigerian life, Cursed Daughters is a bold and emotionally rich exploration of destiny, inheritance and identity. When Eniiyi falls in love, she finds herself haunted by the presence of her dead aunt Monife, whose life and fate she appears destined to repeat. Through a multigenerational story of women bound by love, loss and the possibility of an ancient curse, Oyinkan Braithwaite explores questions of agency, family legacy and belonging. The result is a haunting, surprising and deeply human novel that brings fresh energy to the modern family drama.
Robert Macfarlane
Is a River Alive?
At once an exhilarating journey and a powerful act of environmental advocacy, Is a River Alive? challenges how we think about rivers, nature and the future of the planet. Through travels from the cloud forests of Ecuador to the wounded waterways of India and the wild rivers of Quebec, Robert Macfarlane combines dazzling prose, philosophical inquiry and rigorous reporting to explore whether rivers can be understood as living entities deserving of rights and protection. Passionate, immersive and perspective-shifting, it is a work that has sparked debate, inspired action and reshaped our understanding of humanity's relationship with the natural world.




