PEN America has announced the longlists for the 2026 Literary Awards, honoring a wide range of writers and translators across various genres. The awards, adjudicated by respected panels of authors, editors, translators, and critics, aim to recognize both emerging talents and established voices in literature.

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The total prize fund for the 2026 Literary Awards is nearly $350,000, which will be awarded in categories including fiction, poetry, and translation. The finalists for these awards will be disclosed before the awards ceremony scheduled for March 2026.

Among the notable categories and nominees:

**PEN/Jean Stein Book Award ($75,000)** recognizes a book-length work for its originality and lasting impact. Nominees include "UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE" by Catharina Coenen, "The Devil Is a Southpaw" by Brandon Hobson, and "Things in Nature Merely Grow" by Yiyun Li.

**PEN Open Book Award ($10,000)** highlights exceptional works by authors of color. This year's nominees include "Old School Indian" by Aaron John Curtis and "Ibis" by Justin Haynes.

**PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection ($25,000)** awards a debut collection showcasing distinguished literary achievement. This year's titles include "Show Me Where the Hurt Is" by Hayden Casey and "Bear County, Michigan" by John Counts.

**PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry Collection ($5,000)** honors outstanding poetry collections. Nominees include "Death Does Not End at the Sea" by Gbenga Adesina and "Green of All Heads" by Aracelis Girmay.

**PEN Award for Poetry in Translation ($3,000)** is awarded for exceptional poetry translations. This year's nominees include translations of works by Rafael Alberti and Ghayath Almadhoun.

**PEN Translation Prize ($3,000)** recognizes distinguished prose translations. Nominees this year include "Exophony" by Yoko Tawada and "Free Ride" by Noraly Schoenmaker.

**PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay ($15,000)** recognizes a seasoned writer’s essay collection. Candidates include Alice Bolin’s "Culture Creep" and Jamaica Kincaid’s "Putting Myself Together: Writing 1974–".

**PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award ($10,000)** honors a work of literary excellence on scientific subjects. This year’s nominees include "The Mind Electric" by Pria Anand and "Dinner with King Tut" by Sam Kean.

**PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography ($5,000)** celebrates biographical works of literary merit. Notable contenders are "Baldwin: A Love Story" by Nicholas Boggs and "Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live" by Susan Morrison.

**PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction ($10,000)** is given to a distinguished work of general nonfiction shedding light on contemporary issues. Nominees include "Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza" by Peter Beinart and "Integrated: How American Schools Failed Black Children" by Noliwe Rooks.

The variety of nominees in each category highlights the dynamic and diverse contributions to contemporary literature.