Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Obama podcast, Miles Franklin and Giller Prize headline book news
Books are wonderful, and this news is all about celebrating them.
A famous former American president named Barack Obama is starting a podcast where he talks about six special books that shaped the way he sees the world.
The podcast starts on September 24.
A writer named Omar Musa won a big Australian prize for his book Fierceland.
Australia also announced the best books that could win another big prize, with winners getting $80,000 each.
In India, a book festival called the Banaras Lit Fest is accepting entries for its 2027 awards.
In Canada, the Giller Prize got a very big gift of five million dollars so it can keep giving prizes to writers.
The prize used to have another sponsor, but they stopped working together.
Now the Giller Prize will keep going for several more years.
All these prizes help writers share their stories with the world.
Barack Obama's new Audible podcast 'A Great Book with Barack Obama' premieres September 24, with six conversations about novels that shaped his worldview.
Omar Musa won Australia's $60,000 (approx. ₹29.4 lakh) Miles Franklin Literary Award for his second novel, Fierceland.
Writing Australia revealed the 2026 Prime Minister's Literary Awards shortlist, with winners announced September 10, 2026, at the National Library of Australia in Canberra.
The Banaras Lit Fest opened nominations for the Third BLF Book Awards 2027, accepting entries from August 15 to October 31, 2026.
A CDN $5 million gift from the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation secured the Giller Prize's future after it cut ties with sponsor Scotiabank.
- Who
- Former US President Barack Obama, author Omar Musa, Writing Australia, the Banaras Lit Fest, and the Giller Prize, supported by the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation.
- What
- A roundup of literary news covering Obama's new Audible podcast, a Miles Franklin winner, new award shortlists, award nominations in India, and new funding for the Giller Prize.
- When
- The podcast premieres September 24; PMLA winners are announced September 10, 2026; BLF Book Award entries close October 31, 2026, with the ceremony on February 7, 2027.
- Where
- Australia (Miles Franklin Award and Prime Minister's Literary Awards), Canada (Giller Prize), India (Banaras Lit Fest), and Audible's podcast platform.
- Why
- To recognize and support literature: Obama shares novels that shaped his worldview, prizes reward writers, and the Giller Prize needed new funding after ending its Scotiabank sponsorship.
- Obama podcast
- 'A Great Book with Barack Obama' on Audible, six episodes, produced with Higher Ground
- Podcast premiere
- September 24
- Miles Franklin winner
- Omar Musa for Fierceland (A$60,000)
- PMLA prize pool
- A$600,000 total; A$80,000 tax-free per category
- PMLA winners announced
- September 10, 2026, National Library of Australia, Canberra
- BLF 2027 nomination window
- August 15 - October 31, 2026
- BLF 2027 ceremony
- February 7, 2027, during the 5th Banaras Lit Fest
- Giller Prize funding
- CDN $5 million gift from the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation