Sasha Debevec-McKenney has won the 2026 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize, given annually to “the best published literary work in the English language, written by an author aged 39 or under,” for her debut poetry collection, Joy Is My Middle Name, the prize announced in a news release.
Debevec-McKenney’s collection, published by Norton last August, deals with themes of history, aging, popular culture, and addiction. It was selected by The New Yorker as one of the best books of 2025.
Irenosen Okojie, the chair of judges for the award, said in a citation, “Incredible. An exuberant, blistering collection full of life, humor and ideas. Debevec-McKenney is a ferociously gifted talent. The book is remarkable in the way it galvanizes the reader with a sense of intimacy that is authentic and a voice that feels like an antidote to our tricky times.”
Debevec-McKenney said in a statement, “I really love writing poems, it makes life worth living. Every emotion I’ve ever had, there’s a poem for it. To get this prize feels completely unbelievable. I’m really honored.”
The Dylan Thomas Prize, named after the Welsh poet and playwright who died at 39 in 1953, comes with a cash award of 20,000 British pounds—about $27,000. It was established in 2006; previous winners include Nam Le for The Boat, Joshua Ferris for To Rise Again at a Decent Hour, and Raven Leilani for Luster.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
