Ten outstanding novels recognised in prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award 2026 longlist
May 20, 2026
Perpetual, the trustee of the Miles Franklin Literary Award, has unveiled this year’s longlist, featuring ten novels that collectively offer a portrayal of Australian life in all its diversity. Bringing together stories shaped by varied cultural backgrounds, voices and experiences, this selection celebrates the richness and complexity of Australian storytelling today. The works, which include two former longlist winners and one past short-listee, showcase the talent and creativity of authors from across the nation and set the stage for an exciting journey toward the prestigious award.
The Award celebrates novels of the highest literary merit that tell stories about Australian life. The winner will receive $60,000.
The 2026 Miles Franklin Literary Award longlist is:
| Author | Novel | Publisher |
| Randa Abdel-Fattah | Discipline | University of Queensland Press |
| Dominic Amerena | I Want Everything | Summit Books |
| Lyn Dickens | Salt Upon the Water | Wakefield Press |
| Toni Jordan | Tenderfoot | Hachette Australia |
| Steve MinOn | First Name Second Name | University of Queensland Press |
| Konrad Muller | My Heart at Evening | Evercreech Editions |
| Omar Musa | Fierceland | Penguin Random House Australia |
| Josephine Rowe | Little World | Black Inc |
| Madeleine Watts | Elegy, Southwest | Ultimo Press |
| Sean Wilson | You Must Remember This | Affirm Press |
According to the judging panel, “Destabilised histories, faltering memories and chequered geographies meet in the pages of the 2026 Miles Franklin longlist. From Far North Queensland to Tasmania and all the way to remote Western Australia, these novels remind us of the vastness of this continent, the many times and places that Australian stories inhabit, and the global networks in which ‘Australian life’ is invariably embedded. This year’s longlist is haunted by ancestral inheritances, the human capacity for self-deception, and the ways we make space for grief. These novels hold up mirrors to little worlds and large ones too.”
The 2026 judges are Richard Neville, Mitchell Librarian of the State Library of NSW and Chair; literary scholar, A/Prof Jumana Bayeh; literary scholar and translator, Dr Mridula Nath Chakraborty; literary scholar and author Prof Tony Hughes-d’Aeth; with literary scholar and Director of AustLit, A/Prof Maggie Nolan.
Last year, the Miles Franklin Literary Award was awarded to Siang Lu for his novel, Ghost Cities (2024).
For further information about the Miles Franklin Literary Award: http://www.milesfranklin.com.au/
For enquiries or to request interviews, please contact:
Jane Morey
Morey Media 0416 097 678
jane@moreymedia.com.au
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About the Miles Franklin Literary Award www.milesfranklin.com.au
Perpetual is the Trustee for the Miles Franklin Literary Award. The Award was established in 1954 by the estate of My Brilliant Career author Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin to celebrate the Australian character and creativity. It supports the betterment of Australian literature by each year recognising the novel of the highest literary merit which presents Australian Life in any of its phases. Since being established, the Award has distributed over $1.54 million in philanthropic funds to authors. Those wishing to be part of the Miles Franklin legacy can donate to the Franklin Support Fund to become a friend of the Award. Please visit the website for further details.
Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund is a long-time supporter of the Miles Franklin Literary Award, providing $5,000 to each of the finalists and granting more than half a million dollars to this premier Australian literary prize since 2004.