The book club dives into their first read from the International Booker Prize 2026 shortlist.

On Earth as it is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia, translated from the Portuguese by Padma Viswanathan, published by Charco Press.

This book was also longlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize US & Canada 2026.

The original Brazilian Portuguese novel, titled Assim na Terra como embaixo da Terra, won Prêmio São Paulo de Literatura.

Part of a shared universe, serving as a sequel to the award winning Of Cattle and Men, this is the third book in the series to be translated into English.

🍰Read it & Eat it

Check out the club’s socials to see journalist & home baker Aaron’s baked cake from this book.

He rustled up a Bolo de Fubá, which is a cornmeal cake often eaten with coffee early in the day.

If you’d like to see Aaron bake some of his recipes inspired by the books get in touch.

📘Judging the Book by it’s cover

The crew discuss the meaning behind the typical minimalist Charco-style cover design by Pablo Font.

📛The Name Game

On discussing the alternative As Above, So Below publishing expert & writer Colin throws another suggested title for the book into the ring.

📚Shelf-Help

Lucy lends her bookworm expertise in offering up some books similar to this one if you enjoyed the themes, characters, location or plot.

From John Steinbeck to Hemingway. Colin also suggest connections to the likes I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman.

Due to the books’ cinematic writing we find similarities to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest & Breaking Bad, as well as some classic Western films.

If you enjoyed this book you might also enjoy our many discussions on the novel Eden’s Shore by Oisin Fagan.

⏭️Next Up

The second book in the shortlist that the book club is diving into is She Who Remains by Rene Karabash, translated from the Bulgarian by Izidora Angel, published by Peirene Press.

💬 Share your thoughts with the book club

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Lucy & Aaron star their thoughts n what did & didn't make it to the shortlist.

We'll be reading one book a week until the winner is announced.

Our current reading schedule:

On Earth As It Is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia, translated from the Portuguese by Padma Viswanathan, published by Charco Press

She Who Remains by Rene Karabash, translated from the Bulgarian by Izidora Angel, published by Peirene Press

Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated from Mandarin Chinese by Lin King, published by And Other Stories

The Witch by Marie NDiaye, translated from the French by Jordan Stump, published by MacLehose Press

The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran by Shida Bazyar, translated from the German by Ruth Martin, published by Scribe UK

The Director by Daniel Kehlmann, translated from the German by Ross Benjamin, published by riverrun

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Hannah: @certifiedbookyapperhannah

Lucy & Aaron discuss this year's International Booker Prize long-list and share their picks for the shortlist.

After tomorrow's announcement we'll be sharing our reactions to the books that have made it onto the shortlist and we'll be setting out our reading schedule for the next 6 weeks before the winner is announced.

The book club has covered this award in 2025, the Booker Prize 2025 & the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026.

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Hannah: certifiedbookyapperhannah

Ahead of the winner announcement Aaron & Lucy spoke with the director of the award and one of this year's judges.

The insight helps us understand the prize and what is considered when deciding between the books.

We'll be jumping into another shortlist next week; the International Booker Prize 2026.

Before then we've got our interviews with the team who brought you Eden's Shore.

Check out our previous episodes on some of the shortlisted & longlisted books from this year's Queen Mary Prize, our chapter-by-chapter read along of Eden's Shore & last year's International Booker Prize shortlist.

In this episode, Aaron & Lucy discuss Ghost Driver by Nell Osborne, published by Moist Books.

This is the final book we’re covering from the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026 shortlist before the winner is announced — and we break down its themes, style, and where it sits among this year’s contenders.

🏆 The Winner Is Next

📅 The winner is announced tomorrow (Wednesday)
🎧 We’ll be back with a reaction episode as soon as the result drops

We’ll also be releasing a special episode featuring:

• Neil Griffiths — Director of the Prize
• Susanna Crossman — one of this year’s judges

🌊 Eden’s Shore Specials Incoming

We’ve got a packed week of episodes coming your way:

• An episode with Tom Alexander, Anna Bu Kliewer, and Sofia Hericson
• A second interview episode with Oisín Ó Fágáin himself

📚 Eden’s Shore is also featured on the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2026 list.

🌍 What’s Next

Next week, we jump into the International Booker Prize:
📅 Shortlist announced Tuesday
🎧 We’ll kick things off with a longlist reaction & shortlist prediction episode

📚 Stay tuned — it’s a huge week on the podcast as we wrap one prize and dive straight into another!

In this episode, Colin, Lucy & Aaron discuss Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group by Rebecca Gransden, published by Tangerine Press.

This is the first book we’re covering from the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026 shortlist, and we unpack the novel’s structure, atmosphere, themes, and how it stands out within this year’s field.

📖 What’s Coming Next

We’ll be continuing our shortlist coverage with two more books before the winner is announced:

• Spit by David Brennan — published by époque press

• Ghost Driver by Nell Osborne — published by Moist Books

📚 Read along with us as we work through the shortlist and discuss what might take home the prize.

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Aaron @AaronRiceMedia

Lucy @bookz2026

Colin @c_f_writes

Hannah @certifiedbookyapperhannah

All four of us are back together for this episode as we discuss On the Greenwich Line by Shady Lewis, translated by Katharine Halls, and published by Peirene Press.

This is our third longlist pick from the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026, and we talk through its structure, themes, translation, and how it’s stacking up against the other contenders we’ve read so far.

📖 What’s Next

• Next read: Spit by David Brennan (époque press)

• After that: Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group by Rebecca Gransden (Tangerine Press)

📅 The Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026 shortlist is announced this Wednesday (4th). Once revealed, we’ll be selecting our sixth and final read from the shortlist to complete our series — all before the winner is announced.

📚 Read along with us, share your thoughts, and join the book club as the prize race heats up.

In this episode, Lucy, Hannah & Colin discuss The Weasel and the Whore by Martha Luisa Hernández Cadenas, translated by Julia Sanches and Jennifer Shyue, published by Héloïse Press.

This is the second book we’ve selected from the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026 longlist, and we dig into its themes, structure, voice, and why it feels like such a bold and challenging contender in this year’s field.

📖 What’s Coming Next

Our longlist journey continues in the following order:

• On the Greenwich Line

• Spit

• Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group

Once the shortlist is announced, we’ll choose a sixth and final book to complete our reading — all before the winner is revealed.

📚 Read along with us, share your thoughts, and join the book club as we work our way through the longlist and beyond.