A few years ago I decided to make it one of my reading goals to read every book that has won a Pulitzer for fiction. I don't think the Pulitzer is an infallible list, I don't even think it exemplifies the best of the best. But, it has been a fun and satisfying reading challenge that has pushed me to explore topics and authors I normally would have passed on.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the ones I have read, as well as the ones I haven't read!
Did Not Enjoy
The Netanyahus: An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family by Joshua Cohen- I'm not Jewish but, growing up in a very White town as a POC, there were aspects of the novel that I could relate with, but... Every action, every dialog- inner and outer- seemed like an expositional dump about Cohen's opinions on things.
Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips- There is nothing I liked about this book. It's ugly. It's unpleasant. The ending is a bit too fairy tale-ish for such a book. I didn't like the prose, maybe I'm just too stupid to get her talent? Don't know, don't care.
Personal Bias Got in the Way
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole- I know this book is very much loved but I've dnf'ed it three times. I know Ignatius being unlikable is the whole point but he so very much reminds me of people I went low-contact with for being so... Ignatius... and every time I read it it feels like I'm stuck in a room with them.
All the Lights We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr- This is a beautiful book, Anthony Doerr is a very talented author. I will not disagree with anyone who loves his works but his writing is a bit too Millennial twee for me. I know he's not a Millennial but every time I think about this book the song Fireflies by Owl City pops into my head. I definitely do not need my books to be gritty and ugly but Doerr's writing just doesn't work for me and I completely agree that it's just a me thing and that he is very talented.
Trust by Hernan Diaz- I read it after finishing Demon Copperhead because they both won in 2023 and I think my love for Demon Copperhead clouded my opinion. I couldn't help but compare it to Demon as I was reading it.
Read in School, Need to Revisit
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- Did my middle school brain understand anything deeper than the plot? Probably not.
Beloved by Toni Morrison- I have read her other works more recently and I think Toni Morrison is a literary genius, truly belongs in the upper echelon of writers. Even in HS with my limited experience in literature I could tell, Beloved was different, but I think I need to revisit it as an adult to really appreciate it.
It Was a Book that I Read
Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer by Steven Millhauser- The writing is solid, dream like, almost magical realism- light and cozy. It is, as the title implies, about chasing The American Dream. If anyone was looking for an easy entry point into exploring the Pulitzer I would recommend they start with this one. It has that Pulitzer-y theme but it's also an easy, short read.
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson- I enjoyed it while reading it, and it made me miss my dad and wished he had shared more memories of his lives with me while he was alive. Not a bad book by any means but, aside from making me miss my dad, it didn't really stand out for me.
March by Geraldine Brooks- Perhaps it's unfair to call it Little Women fanfic but... I picked it up because I loved Little Women growing up but it wasn't as interesting as I was hoping for and overall, it was a bit too "Look at what a good person I am!" for me.
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout- It's cozy... quiet.. takes place in Maine... I like Maine... Oh, it's a composite novel, that's kind of cool... yeah...
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan- It's a composite novel with a different POV in each story. I love multi POV and I liked seeing the main character of one story be a minor character in a different story- that was cool. But honestly, I remember liking the concept but I struggle to remember any of the short story's premise. I think the first one is about a kleptomaniac? There's one where they're on a safari? And yes, of course, the famous Powerpoint story.
Less by Andrew Sean Greer- The writing is solid, the plot is interesting. I am the poster child of imposter syndrome so I thought I would relate more to Less, but I didn't.
Thrilling! Couldn't Put It Down!
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck- I don't seek out stories of misery, poverty, and struggle so it's not a book I would have picked up on premise alone but once I started reading it I was so very invested in how the lives of the characters would play out. It was riveting. I was locked in 100% the whole time.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides- It's got war, taboo love, rare medical condition, and offers a critical look at America.I read this about ten years ago and there are scenes that still lives in my head.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz- This novel came out in 2008 before the Dune movies (the good one), before Disney bough Marvel (I think? Or right around that time), and before most people knew about incels and toxic masculinity. It kind of comes across like it's trying too hard with all the pop culture references and footnotes but I had fun regardless.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt- I'm not going to disagree with anyone who argues this book didn't deserve it, but I had so much fun reading it. It's a rather chonky book but I finished it in just a few days because I was completely invested. I'm not a fan of Donna Tartt but dang, she really makes you... not care... but really interested in characters that are just so unlikeable. You don't care about them, but you want to know what happens. I did like Boris though.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver- Is it the best Pulitzer book? No, is it my favorite? Absolutely. Much like The Good Earth, it's a book I never would have picked up based on the premise but I'm so glad I did. I love Demon Copperhead- both the character and the book. Kingsolver has a Judy Blume way of writing realistic kids.
The Writing- Wow!
American Pastoral by Philip Roth- American Pastoral is the first and only Roth novel I have read. I don't think I'm a fan of his style, and I have no desire to read any more of his works, but I have to admit, he's an extremely talented writer. The book is almost aggressively ugly at times and Roth really makes you feel the unpleasantness. It's not a long book but it took me over a month to finish because for me, it was one of those books I had to read in small bites.
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri- Lahiri's writing is just effortlessly chic and gorgeous. Her stories are about everyday people leading every day lives but she has a way of making them feel big and grand. I'm not a fan of short story compilations but thoroughly enjoyed Interpreter of Maladies. And, her other collection, Unaccustomed Earth, is even better (imho).
The Known World by Edward P Jones- I'm currently reading it so I don't have much to say in terms of the themes but Jones writes so elegantly. He writes with a lot of dignity and restraint. His writing is quiet, but it has a big impact.
New Favorite Author!
Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis- Sinclair Lewis is such an underrated author- well, as underrated as you can be while winning the Putlizer and Nobel for fiction. Lewis has a very wry, sardonic way of throwing shade at America and, though his writings are a hundred years old, they're just as relevant today as they were back than. If you switch out the horse and buggy for cars, one could easily believe Arrowsmith was written this decade.
James by Percival Everett- I thought this book was great... until I read Erasure and now I have his entire works in my TBR. I think James is a right author, wrong book kind of situation but I am grateful to James for introducing me to Everett. Please read Erasure. Erasure a great book.
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