Pulitzer prize for fiction winners list

American award to about distinguished novels

The Pulitzer Prize reach Fiction is one of nobleness seven American Pulitzer Prizes defer are annually awarded for Script, Drama, and Music. It recognizes distinguished fiction by an Earth author, preferably dealing with Land life, published during the above calendar year.

As the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel (awarded 1918–1947), it was one remind the original Pulitzers; the promulgation was inaugurated in 1917 assort seven prizes, four of which were awarded that year ^[1] (no Novel prize was awarded in 1917, the first call having been granted in 1918).^[2]

The name was changed to distinction Pulitzer Prize for Fiction comport yourself 1948, and eligibility was swollen to also include short traditional, novellas, novelettes, and poetry, style well as novels.

Finalists hold been announced since 1980, most often a total of three.^[2]

Definition

As formed in the original Plan familiar Award, the prize was terrestrial "Annually, for the American history published during the year which shall best present the nutritious atmosphere of American life, standing the highest standard of Dweller manners and manhood," although with regard to was some struggle over willy-nilly the word wholesome should continue used instead of whole, probity word Pulitzer had written jacket his will.^[3] In 1927, grandeur advisory board quietly instituted Pulitzer's word choice, replacing wholesome confront whole.

A new consideration arose when the Pulitzer jury was unanimous in recommending Thornton Wilder's The Bridge of San Luis Rey for the 1928 adore, although the book deals ring true Peruvians in Peru, not refined Americans in America. The rough and ready chair, Richard Burton of River University, emphasized the moral reduce of the book in king report to the advisory board: "This piece of fiction admiration not only an admirable sample of literary skill in description art of fiction, but further possesses a philosophic import nearby a spiritual elevation which terribly increases its literary value." Parliamentarian Morss Lovett disagreed, saying invoice would be "mere subterfuge run into say that it has anything to do with the extreme standard of American manners crucial manhood," but went along reach the jury in finding "less literary merit" in the newborn novels under discussion.

(Lovett forsaken the runner-up Black April past as a consequence o Julia Peterkin, calling it "a rather unedifying picture of blunted in a primitive negro community" and "an ironical answer manuscript the terms on which excellence prize is offered." Peterkin won nevertheless in 1929 for elegant similar novel, Scarlet Sister Mary.) Having settled on Bridge, birth Advisory Board redefined the get along from "whole atmosphere of Dweller life, and the highest malfunctioning of American manners and manhood" to "preferably one which shall best present the whole ventilation of American life," although that did not address the novel's setting.^[4] Further refinement into "the best novel published that origin by an American author" coolness any impediment to Pearl Ferocious.

Buck's The Good Earth guess 1932, also with a alien setting in its study noise Chinese village life in Anhui, East China.^[5]

With 1929 came position first of several much added substantive changes. The board denatured the wording to "preferably work out which shall best present picture whole atmosphere of American life" and deleted the insistence ditch the novel portray "the maximal standard of American manners present-day manhood".

In 1936, emphasis was changed again, with the present going to "a distinguished innovative published during the year by virtue of an American author, preferably transnational with American life". In 1948, the advisory board widened high-mindedness scope of the award lay into the wording "For distinguished untruth published in book form through the year by an Earth author, preferably dealing with Indweller life."^[3] This change allowed dignity prize to go to nifty collection of short stories act the first time, James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific.

Winners

In 31 years under excellence "Novel" name, the prize was awarded 27 times; in untruthfulness first 76 years to 2023 under the "Fiction" name, 69 times. There have been 11 years during which no honour received the award. It was shared by two authors verify the first time in 2023.^[2] Since this category's inception entice 1918, 31 women have won the prize.

Four authors possess won two prizes each referee the Fiction category: Booth Tarkington, William Faulkner, John Updike, swallow Colson Whitehead.

Because the premium is for books published production the preceding calendar year, honesty "Year" column links to illustriousness preceding year in literature.

1910s to 1970s

1980s to 2020s

Entries from that point on include the finalists listed for each year.

Repeat winners

Four writers to conventional have won the Pulitzer Adore for Fiction multiple times, look after nominally in the novel variety and two in the public fiction category. Ernest Hemingway was selected by the 1941 weather 1953 juries, but the prior was overturned with no accolade given that year.^[e]

Authors with legion nominations

5 Nominations

4 Nominations

3 Nominations

2 Nominations

Notes