Naguib Mahfouz Medal Announces 2026 Shortlist For Arabic Fiction
AUC Press has revealed the six novels shortlisted for the 2026 Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, chosen from 143 submissions across 23 countries by a panel chaired by scholar Hoda Elsadda.
The American University in Cairo Press has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, selected from 143 novels submitted from 23 countries.
The judging panel, chaired by Hoda Elsadda, professor of English and Comparative Literature at Cairo University, draws on scholars, novelists, journalists, and translators, including a former recipient of the medal. The winner will be announced on December 11th, 2026, the anniversary of Mahfouz's birth.
Established in 1996, the medal has previously gone to Mohammed Tarazi for 'Muted Microphone' in 2024, Fatma Qandil for 'Empty Cages' in 2022, and Ahmed Taibaoui for 'The Disappearance of Mr Nobody' in 2021. Winning novels are translated into English and published by AUC Press.
This year's list includes six novels from five countries.
This Is Not a Bullet — Abdullah Nasser (Saudi Arabia)
A childhood memory of a father firing a bullet leads a narrator back to an old court case, confronting family secrets and the wounds of the past. Published by Al Karma Publishers.
The Origin of the Species — Ahmad Abdulatif (Egypt)
Drawing on Darwin's theory of evolution, the novel imagines a post-human era in which characters lose physical features and emotions alike, mirrored by the transformation of Cairo. Published by Hayat Publishing.
Longa-Cairo Nuweiba — Ganna Adel (Egypt)
The protagonist leaves a troubled life in Cairo for Sinai, moving between jobs and shifting circles of people across nearly eight years, told through prose, letters and diary entries. Published by Waziz Books.
A Swiss Summer — Inaam Kachachi (Iraq)
Four Iraqi refugees meet in Basel at the invitation of the European Parliament to take part in a psychiatrist's program addressing their ideological pasts, each carrying a different account of conflict in Iraq. Published by Al Dar Al Masriah Al Lubnaniah.
No Mail to Gaza — Mohamed Jubaiti (Palestine)
A gravedigger who practices parkour navigates life in Gaza before the genocide, with the absence of mail serving as a metaphor for the territory's isolation. Published by Dar Al Adab.
An Old Egyptian Madness — Talal Faisal (Egypt)
A history professor uncovers manuscripts detailing a chapter of Mamluk history, centred on the guardian who usurps a child sultan's throne. Published by Diwan Publishing.
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