“The Hare” and “Inês” Win O. Henry Prize 2026

Book Cover of "The Best Short Stories 2026" edited by Tommy Orange

We are thrilled to announce that “The Hare,” written by Ismael Ramos and translated from the Galician by Jacob Rogers, and “Inês” by Joāo Pedro Vala have been selected for the O. Henry Prize for Short Fiction for 2026. Both stories were originally published in The Common Online in 2025. An anthology of the winning stories, edited by Tommy Orange, will be released this September from Vintage. 

In the prize announcement, series editor Jenny Minton Quigley writes, “Many of this year’s O. Henry Prize winners manifest a youthful, new way of seeing in their stories. If our world is to be saved it will be by the genius of the next generations.

View the full list of winners and read more about the prize at LitHub.

Congratulations to Ismael Ramos, Jacob Rogers, Joāo Pedro Vala, and all the winners! 

 

From the beginning, The Common has brought you transportive writing and exciting new voices. We are committed to supporting writers and maintaining free, unrestricted access to our website, but we can’t do it without you. Become an integral part of our global community of readers and writers by donating today. No amount is too small. Thank you!

“The Hare” and “Inês” Win O. Henry Prize 2026

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