Taiwan Travelogue won the International Booker Prize 2026, which had us thinking about the diverse books that have won in past years. These are books that represent life in the region and language that they are set in, allowing readers to travel through words.
Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi, translated from Taiwanese by Lin King
Winner, 2026
On the surface level, this is a literal travelogue of a Japanese author, Aoyama Chizuko, accompanied by her interpreter, O Chizuru (named Ong Tshian-hoh in Taiwanese), as she hurtles through Japanese-colonized Taiwan. It is metafiction of some sort, and is a nuanced tale about colonialism, how it affects culture, language, power dynamics, and even food.
Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi
Winner, 2025
Banu Mushtaq's Heart Lamp deserves all the love it has received over the past year; this spectacular collection of stories is a commentary on patriarchy, tradition, and the quiet lives Indian Muslim women lead. Her stories are mirrors, instruments of truth, that display a reflection of the limits of Muslim families in rural Karnataka. The translation, undertaken by Deepa Bhasthi, leaves many words untranslated, which only contributes to the authenticity of these stories, which serve as a phenomenology of the everyday.
Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov, translated from Bulgarian by Angela Rodel
Winner, 2023
Time Shelter is Angela Rodel's translation of Georgi Gospodinov's Bulgarian original. The key premise of the novel has Gaustine, a somewhat mysterious, acquaintance of the narrator opening a dementia clinic in Zurich where he replicates decades of the past, time shelters for those disorientated by the present.
Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated from Hindi by Daisy Rockwell
Winner, 2022
Tomb of Sand is Daisy Rockwell's translation of Geetanjali Shree's groundbreaking Ret Samadhi. We follow a recent widow from depression to a resurrection of sorts, living with her modern daughter, deepening a boundary defying friendship with a hijra person, and exploring more tangible boundaries.
The Vegetarian by Han Kang, translated from Korean by Deborah Smith
Winner, 2016
Han Kang's novel, The Vegetarian, tells the story of Yeong-hye. Having recently had a dream that has convinced her to cease eating any meat whatsoever, she finds that such a decision affects nearly all aspects of her life.
At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop, translated from French by Anna Moschovakis
Winner, 2021
This slim novel tells the harrowing story of two Senegalese soldiers fighting in the Great War. Together, they fight the enemy until one of them is wounded and eventually dies. The other is left alone in his grief and devastated by the death of his companion and finds himself hurtling towards madness.
Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi, translated from Arabic by Marilyn Booth Winner, 2019
Jokha Alharthi's Celestial Bodies paints a vivid portrait of Omani society as it grapples with the cultural and social changes precipitated by its transition into a modern society.
Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated from German by Michael Hofmann
Winner, 2024
Jenny Erpenbeck's Kairos, translated from German by Michael Hofmann, is set in the final years of East Germany and follows the intense relationship between Katharina, a young student, and Hans, an older writer.
Words Platform Desk
Date 29.5.2026