The 18 Best Books of 2026 (So Far)

We’re not even halfway through 2026 yet, and it’s already been a banner year for new books. From sumptuous novels by Ben Lerner, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Tayari Jones to blockbuster works of nonfiction by Patrick Radden Keefe, Chuck Klosterman, and Namwali Serpell, we may have already seen many of the books that will wind up on 2026’s end-of-year lists and contend for the National Book Awards, Man Booker Prizes, and Pulitzer Prizes.