Turkish author makes 2026 Booker list

LONDON

Kenan Orhan

Turkish-American author Kenan Orhan made the 13-book longlist for the 2026 Booker Prize with his debut novel “The Renovation.”

Raised in a half-Turkish household in the U.S. state of Kansas, Orhan explores the Turkish diaspora and exile. His novel follows Dilara, an immigrant in Italy altering her home for her father with dementia, who discovers a Turkish prison cell instead of a bathroom.

The award evaluates English-language novels published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. Jury chair Mary Beard called the books magnificent.

“We are sure the books on our longlist offer something for everyone,” Beard said.

Orhan joins authors like Elizabeth Strout and Marlon James. His 2023 collection “I Am My Country” was a prize finalist. Organizers will announce the shortlist on Sept. 22 and the winner on Nov. 9.