Noham Selcer wins Alain Spiess Prize
Noham Selcer has received the Alain Spiess Prize for the Second Novel 2026 for his book Midgar, published by Gallimard. The award, organized by the Association of Friends of Alain Spiess and chaired by Françoise Spiess, is endowed with €2500.Award ceremony details
The award ceremony and a meeting with the winner will take place on Wednesday, November 18, at the Librairie Millepages in Vincennes at 7:30 p.m. Midgar was part of the six works selected for the second shortlist of the Alain Spiess Prize.Book summary
The publisher's summary describes Midgar as a novel where Sura, Zellik, and Gaston, raised under the same urban and dark sky in the same family, draw different lessons from their education. As adults, the trio fractures between fraternal love and brutal contradictions.Japanese literary competition
In Japan, a new literary prize, the Hon no Kōshien, functions almost like a sporting competition, with novels representing different prefectures competing in direct elimination matches. For the first edition, 35 books were in contention.Winner of Japanese prize
On October 5, 2026, Nagiko Murasaki won the title with Orion wa shizuka ni utau (Shōgakukan). The Académie française revealed the second shortlist of its Grand Prix du roman 2026 on October 15, selecting three novels for the final vote.Other prize updates
The winner will be announced on October 29. The jury of the Médicis Prize revealed its second shortlist on October 15, 2026, with 7 French novels and 9 foreign novels remaining in competition, while 12 essays are entering.Human rights literary award
The Inge Feltrinelli Prize for human rights defense, created by the Italian publishing house Feltrinelli and the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation in 2022, has approached the organization PEN International. In November, a mention will commend an author or group of authors for their commitment to the defense of human rights.Comics prize details
The Prix ACBD Jeunesse 2026 features five comics in competition. The winner will be announced on November 21 during the bdBOUM festival in Blois, before a presentation of the prize on November 28 at the Montreuil Youth Book and Press Fair.New literary award in Marseille
A new literary prize emerged in Marseille. Véronique Brindeau, Antoine Lecharny, and Annette Becker received the August Light Awards 2026 on October 9 during a ceremony organized at the residence of the Swiss Consul General in Marseille, Christophe Vauthey.Nobel Prize announcement
The Swedish Academy awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature 2026 to the Canadian Anne Carson. She succeeds the Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai, awarded in 2025.French Language Prize
Chantal Thomas received the French Language Prize 2026, awarded by the City of Brive. She succeeds Jean Echenoz, awarded last year. Endowed with €10,000, the prize will be awarded on November 6 during the opening of the 44th Brive Book Fair.Goncourt Prize updates
The Goncourt Prize 2026 has more than eight novels in competition. A little more than a month after a first list of 16 novels, the Goncourt Academy narrows its selection for the 2026 edition on October 6.Other literary awards
Thélyson Orélien's novel had already been withdrawn by the jurors on September 25, amid allegations of plagiarism and suspicions of use of artificial intelligence. The four finalists will be known on October 27, before the announcement of the prize on November 3 at Drouant.Sales rankings
Sarah Knafo remains at the top of sales, while Thélyson Orélien climbs despite the controversy. Freida McFadden surpasses Sarah Knafo at the top of sales.
