07/02/2026
🏆📚 We are thrilled to announce that People and Trees: A Trilogy by Azerbaijani writer Akram Aylisli, translated by Katherine E. Young and published by Plamen Press, has won the 2026 EBRD Literature Prize!
Presented by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the prize recognizes outstanding works of literature in translation and celebrates the authors and translators who bring important international voices to English-language readers.
As a small independent nonprofit publisher based in Washington, DC, we are deeply honored by this recognition. We are grateful to the EBRD Literature Prize jury, organizers, and staff, and we extend our sincere congratulations to our fellow finalists: Ice by Jacek Dukaj, translated by Ursula Phillips and published by Head of Zeus, and On the Greenwich Line by Shady Lewis, translated by Katharine Halls and published by Peirene Press.
We also congratulate all of the authors, translators, and publishers whose books were shortlisted for this year's prize. The strength and diversity of the selected works demonstrate the extraordinary power of literature to connect cultures and foster understanding across borders.
We are especially proud to see Akram Aylisli's deeply human work receive this recognition. Through People and Trees: A Trilogy, readers encounter a powerful literary vision that speaks to memory, identity, and our shared humanity.
We would also like to recognize and thank everyone whose talent, dedication, and hard work helped bring this remarkable book to readers. First and foremost, we celebrate Akram Aylisli for creating this extraordinary work and Katherine Young for her masterful translation, which introduced it to English-language audiences. We are equally grateful to our editors, Rachel Miranda and Ian Jones, whose careful guidance helped shape the final publication, and to Walter Carlton and Carlton Creative for designing the beautiful cover that so effectively captures the spirit of the book. This award is a testament to the collaborative effort of many individuals who believed in the importance of sharing this powerful literary voice with the world.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this book—our readers, booksellers, reviewers, literary organizations, and friends. This award belongs to all who believe that literature can build bridges where politics often cannot.
