Lyse Doucet (Paula Bronstein)

Canadian journalist Lyse Doucet is one of six writers shortlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.

Doucet, who is the chief international correspondent for the BBC, was nominated for The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People’s History of Afghanistan, published in the U.K. by Hutchinson Heinemann and in Canada by Allen Lane. It is her first book, and explores the recent history of Afghanistan by telling the story of Kabul’s first luxury hotel. Doucet is the lone Canadian writer shortlisted for this year’s prize. The book – her first – was also longlisted for the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction.

The £30,000 ($55,438 CAD) Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction was established by the Women’s Prize Trust in 2023 to honour exceptional nonfiction written by women. Books written by women and published in the U.K. are eligible.

The judges for this year’s prize are Thangam Debbonaire, Roma Agrawal, Nicola Elliott, Nina Stibbe, and Nicola Williams.

The winner will be announced at an event in London on June 11.