Lyse Doucet's THE FINEST HOTEL IN KABUL shortlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize 2026!

Congratulations to Janklow author Lyse Doucet whose Sunday Times bestselling THE FINEST HOTEL IN KABUL: A People's History of Afghanistan (Hutchinson Heinemann) is shortlisted for The Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize 2026 🎉

The RSL Ondaatje Prize is 'an annual award of £10,000 for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place [...] first awarded in 2004, the premise and broad remit of the Prize creates unique lists of outstanding works and authors that you would not usually find sitting side by side.' 

You can find the full shortlist here. The winner, selected by judges Claire Armitstead, Emma Dabiri and Ekow Eshun, will be announced on Monday 1 June 2026. Big congrats to Lyse!