Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award 2026 longlist announced
The Foundation for Australian Literary Studies (FALS) has announced the longlist for the 2026 Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award, worth $50,000.
The 14 longlisted titles, chosen from over 230 entries, are:
- The Rot (Evelyn Araluen, University of Queensland Press)
- Pictures of You (Tony Birch, University of Queensland Press)
- The Washup (Nicole Crowe, Pantera Press)
- Mischance Creek (Garry Disher, Text Publishing)
- Spirit of the Crocodile (Aaron Fa’Aoso and Michelle Scott Tucker with Lyn White, Allen & Unwin)
- Apron-Sorrow / Sovereign-Tea (Natalie Harkin, Wakefield Press)
- Tiwi in Paris (Glen Farmer Illortaminni, Thames & Hudson)
- What Kept You? (Raaza Jamshed, Giramondo)
- Always Home, Always Homesick: A Memoir (Hannah Kent, Picador)
- Yawulyu: Art and Song in Warlpiri Women’s Ceremony (Megan Morais, Lucy Nampijinpa Martin, Peggy Nampijinpa et al, Aboriginal Studies Press)
- Fierceland (Omar Musa, Penguin)
- A Piece of Red Cloth (Leonie Norrington, Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs, Djawa Burarrwanga and Djawundil Maymuru, Allen & Unwin)
- Little World (Josephine Rowe, Black Inc.)
- Joss: A History (Grace Yee, Giramondo).
This year’s award is judged by Lachlan Brown, Leigh Dale, Susan Martin, Paul Salzman and Mary Vernon.
Founded in 1967 by Australian writer, editor, academic and educator Colin Roderick, and administered by FALS at James Cook University, the award recognises the best original book published in Australia in the previous calendar year that deals with “any aspect of Australian life”.
A shortlist will be announced in July, with the winner to be revealed at a presentation in September.
The 2025 winner was Khin Myint for Fragile Creatures: A Memoir (Black Inc.).
More information about the award is available on the FALS website.
Category: Awards Local news
