Finalists have been selected for the 2026 Cundill History Prize, which honors a work of history written in, or translated into, English. It is administered by McGill University. The winner receives $75,000 and the two runners-up $10,000 each. The winner will be named October 23. This year's shortlisted titles are:
Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult by Jonathan Cheng (Knopf)
The First Ghetto: Venice and the Jews by Alexander Lee (Picador)
John Doe Chinaman: A Forgotten History of Chinese Life Under American Racial Law by Beth Lew-Williams (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press)
Chair of the jury Emily Greenwood commented: "This year's three finalists have written vivid historical accounts of complex subjects, and all three books have strong resonance and staying power."