The prestigious Gotham Book Prize has unveiled its list of finalists for the 2026 award, with actor Lili Taylor, restaurateur Keith McNally and financial journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin among the notable contenders vying for the $50,000 literary honour. A total of 11 books have been shortlisted for the prize, which exclusively celebrates works of fiction and nonfiction that explore the multifaceted essence of New York City.
Diverse Literary Works Celebrating New York
The finalists represent a rich tapestry of New York life across different eras and perspectives. Lili Taylor's collection of essays, Turning to Birds, reflects on finding quiet moments and connection with nature within the urban landscape. Keith McNally's memoir, I Regret Almost Everything, offers an insider's view of the city's renowned dining scene and restaurant culture.
Andrew Ross Sorkin's bestselling examination of the 1929 stock market crash, simply titled 1929, delves into the financial panic that reverberated through Wall Street and contributed to the Great Depression. Each nominated work illuminates a distinct aspect of the city's character, from personal reflections to historical analysis.
Additional Notable Finalists
The shortlist includes several other compelling works that capture different dimensions of New York:
- Mark Ronson's memoir Night People: How to Be a DJ in '90s New York City, chronicling the music scene of that decade
- Adam Ross's novel Playworld, exploring New York during the 1980s
- Victoria Christopher Murray's Harlem Rhapsody, a novel centered on the vibrant Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s
Prize Founders Emphasise New York's Literary Significance
Bradley Tusk and Howard Wolfson, who established the Gotham Book Prize in 2020, released a statement emphasising the enduring appeal of New York as a literary subject. "It's clearer than ever that our city is an object of fascination and the ideal setting for countless books, both fiction and nonfiction," they remarked. "When great writers focus on New York City, that maintains our status as the place that the best and brightest from all of the world want to be."
Tusk, a bookstore owner and philanthropist, partnered with political strategist Wolfson to create the award specifically to honour literature that captures the spirit of New York. The prize has quickly gained recognition within literary circles since its inception six years ago.
Previous Winners and Announcement Timeline
The Gotham Book Prize has previously honoured distinguished works including Colson Whitehead's novel Crook Manifesto and Andrea Elliott's investigative work Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City. These past recipients demonstrate the prize's commitment to recognising both literary excellence and substantive engagement with urban themes.
The winner of the 2026 Gotham Book Prize will be announced in the spring, following deliberations by the judging panel. The $50,000 award represents one of the more substantial literary prizes specifically dedicated to writing about a single city, highlighting the unique cultural position New York occupies in the global imagination.
The diversity of the shortlist—spanning memoirs, essays, historical analysis and fiction—reflects the multitude of ways writers continue to engage with New York as both setting and subject. From the financial districts to Harlem's cultural renaissance, from restaurant kitchens to quiet moments of nature observation, these finalists collectively paint a comprehensive portrait of a city that remains endlessly compelling to writers and readers alike.
