We are delighted to share that by Samantha Ellis (Chatto and Windus, 2025) has been longlisted for The Wingate Prize.

The 2026 Wingate Literary Prize longlist is comprised of five novels and seven non-fiction titles. Covering a broad spectrum of opinions, style and content, these books look at what it means to be Jewish in multiple ways.

Dating back to 1977, the annual prize is worth £4,000 and awarded to the best book, fiction or non-fiction, to convey the idea of Jewishness to the general reader.

The longlisted books are:

• The Einstein of Sex by Daniel Brook (WW Norton)
• Chopping Onions on my Heart by Samantha Ellis (Chatto and Windus)
• Chutzpah! A Memoir of Faith, Sexuality and Daring to Stay by Yehudis Fletcher (Transworld)
• City of Laughter by Temim Fruchter (Dialogue Books)
• Berlin Atomized by Julia Kornberg (Astra House)
• Fear No Pharaoh by Richard Kreitner (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
• Nothing Vast by Moshe Zvi Marvit (Acre Books)
• Ripeness by Sarah Moss (Picador)
• Letters by Oliver Sacks, edited by Kate Edgar (Picador)
• Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart (Atlantic)
• Family Romance by Jean Strouse (Farrar, Strous & Giroux)
• The Gates of Gaza by Amir Tibon (Little Brown)

“We were delighted and surprised by this diverse and interesting list, which in both fiction and non-fiction showcases the purpose of the Wingate Prize. From politics to personal identity, from debut novelists to some of literature’s most recognised names, from the American Civil War to the beginnings of the sexual revolution, there is something for every kind of reader in this fascinating selection of books.” – Erica Wagner, Chair of the judges

This year’s judging panel is comprised of the Chair, Erica Wagner, Xiaolu Guo, Kate Weinberg and Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet.

The Wingate Prize and the Jewish Literary Foundation are pleased to be working in partnership again this year. The shortlist will be announced in mid December and the winner in early 2026, followed by an event at Jewish Book Week.