SHERBORNE, UK – The shortlist for the first-ever Sherborne Prize for Travel Writing has been officially unveiled, highlighting six works that champion empathy and cross-cultural understanding in an increasingly divided world.
Announced today, January 27, 2026, the shortlist for the £10,000 prize features a diverse array of narratives ranging from the frontlines of the war in Ukraine to the nomadic pastoralist trails of Europe. The prize, established in association with the Sherborne Travel Writing Festival, seeks to honor British or European authors whose work “encourages understanding between peoples and across societies.”
The 2026 Shortlist
The six finalists were selected from over 70 submissions by a panel of distinguished judges, including acclaimed travel novelist Colin Thubron, biographer Sara Wheeler, and literary agent Emma Paterson.
Howard Amos: Russia Starts Here- Bloomsbury Continuum
Kapka Kassabova: Anima: A Wild Pastoral- Penguin
Robert Macfarlane: Is a River Alive?- Hamish Hamilton
Joanna Pocock: Greyhound- Fitzcarraldo
Jen Stout: Night Train to Odesa- Birlinn
Adam Weymouth: Lone Wolf- Hutchinson Heinemann
A “Striking Tribute” to the Genre
Chair of the judges, Colin Thubron, praised the selection for its breadth and depth. “In its vigour and diversity alone, our shortlist is a striking tribute to the indispensable value of travel and the seriousness of its writing,” Thubron said. “Travel writing has never been richer or more versatile.”
The shortlisted works cover a vast geographical and emotional landscape:
- Jen Stout’s Night Train to Odesa provides a harrowing yet human look at the cost of the war in Ukraine.
- Joanna Pocock explores the American psyche through the lens of a cross-country Greyhound bus journey.
- Robert Macfarlane tackles the philosophical and environmental question of legal personhood for nature in Is a River Alive?.
Bridging Divided Worlds
The prize was born from a philosophy articulated by festival curator Rory MacLean, who describes travel writers as “bridge builders.” The criteria for the award place heavy emphasis on the “boldness of the author’s ambition” and the ability to enable readers to cross borders—both physical and metaphorical.
”Travel writers venture out into the world to understand different peoples, cultures and times. Empathy lies at the heart of our work.” — Rory MacLean, Festival Curator
The winner of the inaugural £10,000 prize will be announced on Sunday, April 12, 2026, during the Sherborne Travel Writing Festival at the Powell Theatre.
About the Author
Discover more from Geek Digest
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
