New books by Liza Minelli, David Sedaris, Maggie O’Farrell and Yann Martel are among the literary highlights of the year ahead

2026 is already promising plenty of unmissable releases: there are new novels by George Saunders, Ali Smith and Douglas Stuart, memoirs from Gisèle Pelicot, Lena Dunham and Mark Haddon, and plenty of inventive debuts to look forward to. Here, browse all the biggest titles set to hit shelves in the coming months across fiction and nonfiction, selected by the Guardian’s books desk.

Novels by George Saunders, Ali Smith and Douglas Stuart are among the big books to look forward to in the coming year.

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Memoirs from Gisèle Pelicot and Siri Hustvedt, Naomi Klein on fascism and Patrick Radden Keefe on a mysterious death are among the highlights of the year ahead in nonfiction.