--- title: Waterstones and Barnes & Noble Booksellers Picked Eight of the Same Books for Book of the Year 2026 description: The 20 books on the Waterstones Book of the Year 2026 shortlist, the eight Barnes & Noble also chose, and the winner date of 26th November. author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) date: 2026-11-03T14:00:58.875Z updated: 2026-11-03T14:00:58.913Z canonical: https://richbooksmagazine.com/article/waterstones-book-of-the-year-2026-shortlist image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/pexels-32206660.webp categories: Reading Lists, Literary Fiction content_type: Guide region: United Kingdom, United States publication: Rich Books about: - type: Organization name: Waterstones description: UK bookshop chain that awards the annual Waterstones Book of the Year, chosen by its booksellers. url: https://www.waterstones.com industry: Bookselling --- Waterstones booksellers have put 20 books on the shortlist for the Waterstones Book of the Year 2026, and the winner will be named on Thursday 26th November. Six days earlier, Barnes & Noble announced its own 16 finalists, chosen by its booksellers in the United States. Eight books appear on both lists, so half of the American shortlist is also on the British one. ## The eight books both chains chose ### On both the Waterstones and Barnes & Noble lists - [Land](https://www.waterstones.com/book/land/maggie-ofarrell/9781035451258) by Maggie O'Farrell - [London Falling](https://www.waterstones.com/book/london-falling/patrick-radden-keefe/2928377401795) by Patrick Radden Keefe - [The Book of Birds](https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-book-of-birds/robert-macfarlane/jackie-morris/9780241404737) by Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris - [Redwood](https://www.waterstones.com/book/redwood/ben-macintyre/2928377374747) by Ben Macintyre - [Sleeping Beauties](https://www.waterstones.com/book/sleeping-beauties/david-byrne/9781805300540) by David Byrne - [Yesteryear](https://www.waterstones.com/book/yesteryear/caro-claire-burke/9780008866310) by Caro Claire Burke - [Ottolenghi Simple Too](https://www.waterstones.com/book/ottolenghi-simple-too/yotam-ottolenghi/verena-lochmuller/9781529109511) by Yotam Ottolenghi & Verena Lochmuller - [Is This a Plum?](https://www.waterstones.com/book/is-this-a-plum/dan-ojari/finn-ojari/9780241857847) by Dan Ojari & Finn Ojari The overlap has a likely explanation in ownership. The investment firm Elliott owns both chains, and James Daunt, who rescued Waterstones from near bankruptcy, has run Barnes & Noble since 2019. Both chains let local booksellers choose and recommend stock, and when the Barnes & Noble finalists were announced Daunt called the success of real bookshops 'the triumph of personal recommendation'. The two chains still vote separately: every Barnes & Noble bookseller votes on its finalists, while Waterstones booksellers nominate the shortlist and an expert panel picks the winner. Barnes & Noble names its Book of the Year on 12th November, two weeks before Waterstones, so the first result will show whether the American booksellers' pick is among the eight. ## Three Booker novels made the Waterstones list The Waterstones shortlist also overlaps with the Booker Prize, which is decided on 9th November. John of John by Douglas Stuart, The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout and May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry are on both. [Our guide to the Booker announcement](https://richbooksmagazine.com/article/booker-prize-2026-winner-how-to-watch) has the time of the livestream and the odds, and [our reading guide](https://richbooksmagazine.com/article/booker-prize-2026-shortlist) covers all six novels on that shortlist. Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Lin King, which won the International Booker Prize in May, is on the Waterstones list too. Last year's Waterstones winner was The Artist by Lucy Steeds. The prize began in 2012, and earlier winners include books by Maggie O'Farrell, Paul McCartney, Asako Yuzuki and Katherine Rundell. ## The other 12 books on the Waterstones shortlist ### Fiction ### Fiction - [John of John](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=9781035086955) by Douglas Stuart - [The Things We Never Say](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=9780241814307) by Elizabeth Strout - [May We Feed the King](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=9781803513867) by Rebecca Perry - [Taiwan Travelogue](https://www.waterstones.com/book/taiwan-travelogue/y-ng-shu-ng-zi/lin-king/9781916751651) by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ - [Lázár](https://www.waterstones.com/book/lazar/nelio-biedermann/jamie-bulloch/9781529445336) by Nelio Biedermann - [Stations](https://www.waterstones.com/book/stations/louise-kennedy/9781037205521) by Louise Kennedy - [Said the Dead](https://www.waterstones.com/book/said-the-dead/doireann-n-ghr-ofa/9780571407415) by Doireann Ní Ghríofa - [Solace House](https://www.waterstones.com/book/solace-house/will-maclean/2928377396305) by Will Maclean ### Non-fiction and children's books ### Non-fiction and children's books - [Pick Your Bottles](https://www.waterstones.com/book/pick-your-bottles/dan-keeling/9781807120313) by Dan Keeling - [The Heirs](https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-heirs/faridah-abike-iyimide/9781835401002) by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé - [The Adventures of Portly the Otter](https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-adventures-of-portly-the-otter-untold-tales-from-the-wind-in-the-willows/m-g-leonard/polly-dunbar/9780008816896) by MG Leonard & Polly Dunbar - [The Neverland Thieves](https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-neverland-thieves/katie-tsang/kevin-tsang/9781398568549) by Katie Tsang & Kevin Tsang *Sources: ITV News and PA (29th October), Stylist (29th October), Shelf Awareness (23rd October), The Bookseller (2019), Fortune (10th August), Modern Retail (8th December 2025), The Scotsman (24th September), The Booker Prizes.*