‘The Wager and the Bear’ by John Ironmonger Nominated for the 2026 Dublin Literary Award

Fly on the Wall Press is delighted to announce that The Wager and the Bear by acclaimed novelist John Ironmonger has been nominated for the prestigious 2026 Dublin Literary Award.

The 2026 longlist comprises 69 exceptional titles, nominated by 80 libraries across 36 countries, showcasing the best of contemporary fiction worldwide. Sponsored by Dublin City Council, the Award is the most valuable prize in the world for a single work of fiction, offering €100,000 to the winner. If a translated work wins, the author receives €75,000 and the translator €25,000.

Designated a UNESCO City of Literature in 2010, Dublin continues to champion global literary excellence through this internationally respected prize, established in 1994 to promote outstanding world literature.

About The Wager and the Bear

When young idealist Tom publicly humiliates politician Monty in a Cornish pub, it sparks a simmering feud that alters the course of both their lives. The consequences of their argument—and the deadly wager that follows—ripple through the decades. Years later, their paths collide far from St Piran, stranded together on a colossal iceberg drifting south from Greenland, accompanied only by a starving polar bear.

This is a heart-stopping tale of anger, tragedy, and enduring love, cast against the long unfolding backdrop of an irreversible global crisis.

Award-winning novelist Stephen May writes:“That rarest of literary creatures — a novel about a serious subject, climate change — treated with a sure-footed lightness of touch. The premise is original, the characters engaging, the prose nimble and the story is told with dexterity. The Wager and the Bear is a book as vivid and fresh as a Cornish beach in summer. I loved it.”

Ironmonger’s previous novel, The Whale at the End of the World, was widely praised:“A tremendously enjoyable book… a very welcome alternative” — Independent on Sunday“A gentle and uplifting tale… charming” — Financial Times“A heart-warming dystopia… will restore your faith in humanity” — Elle UK“Above all, it’s about the innate goodness of people and our connections with the wider world” — Press Association

About the Author

John Ironmonger was born and raised in East Africa and holds a doctorate in zoology. A former expert on freshwater leeches, he is the author of The Good Zoo Guide and several acclaimed novels, including The Notable Brain of Maximilian Ponder (shortlisted for the 2012 Costa First Novel Award and the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize), The Coincidence Authority, and The Whale at the End of the World (an international bestseller). He has been part of a world-record Shakespeare speed-reading team, driven a £100 banger across the Sahara, and once met Jared Diamond in a Sumatran forest.

A Global Celebration of Storytelling

This year’s Dublin Literary Award nominations include works by five Irish authors, twenty debut novelists, and thirty translated titles in seventeen languages, from Brazilian Portuguese to Japanese. The list reflects the vibrancy and diversity of contemporary fiction across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand.

Isabelle Kenyon, Publisher at Fly on the Wall Press, said:“We are incredibly proud to see John Ironmonger’s powerful and imaginative novel recognised on such a distinguished global stage. This nomination highlights the book’s emotional resonance and its urgent relevance to our world today.”

The full list of nominated titles for the 2026 Dublin Literary Award is available via Dublin City Libraries.