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Fiction about American life helps people feel, reflect on and talk about exclusion and inclusion in the real world. 

Pulitzer Book Club is a free resource to help book groups, libraries, and independent readers experience and discuss Pulitzer Fiction winners through the lens of inclusion.

The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is awarded

“For distinguished fiction published in book

form during the year by an American author,

preferably dealing with American life.”  

Pulitzers Fiction winners are set in and written

during different time periods are a record of

and way to experience inclusion and exclusion

via literature over time. 

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The Inclusion Guide for each Pulitzer fiction

winner provides info, prompts and ideas to

encourage thought and candid conversation

about inclusion based on the book.   

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MEMORY HOOK

Recall-if-you read book scene

INSTAPLOT

What happens,

10 words or less

COMMITMENT

Length, challenge

UNIQUENESS

What makes book different

INCLUSION LESSON 

Inclusion insight from book

INCLUSION/EXCLUSION 

Nature of characters, interactions

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Inclusion conversation prompts

QUOTE

Inclusion-related

book quote

MORE

Author’s related novels,

film adaptations

ROAD TRIP
Where to go, to-dos based on book content 

MEETING VENUE

Discussion location ideas

MEETING MENU

What to serve at a book group

HOME DECOR

Pulitzer Book Club’s selection tools help readers and book groups choose their Pulitzer.

  • Pick Your Pulitzer: InstaPlot (what happens, 10 words or less), memory hook (scene to help recall if read the book already), commitment (length, challenge)

  • Pulitzer Pairings: Pulitzer fiction winners grouped by common denominators

  • Pulitzer Bests & Worsts: A special distinction for each Pulitzer fiction winner

  • Pulitzer Personals: Fun way to get to know someone you’ll meet in the Pulitzer winner

  • Inclusion Milestones from 1948 to the present place each Pulitzer Fiction winner in time based on year’s progress for traditionally marginalized Americans, including women, Black and Brown people, Native Americans, Latinx, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, immigrants, the LBGTQ community, those with mental illness, people living in poverty, the elderly, people with disabilities, and individuals who don’t fit the traditional beauty mold.

  • Inclusion Milestones are presented as timeline and incorporated into Inclusion Guide for each Pulitzer winner.

  • Inclusion Guides recap author inspirations, book’s uniqueness, inclusion/inclusion overview, and a quote and an insight/lesson about inclusion. 

  • Book-inspired road trips, author’s related fiction and film/TV adaptations are identified.  Inclusion and literary discussion prompts and ideas for meeting venues and menus are provided for book groups.

  • Links provided to get book online, from an indie bookstore or library. Links also provided to Pulitzer win citation and Pulitzer prize selection board.

“‘It was the Pulitzer committee,’ he said evenly.

‘It turns out I’ve been pronouncing it wrong all these years.’ ‘You won?’

‘It’s not Pew-lit-sir.

It’s Pull-it-sir.’”

-Andrew Sean Greer from his 2018

Pulitzer Fiction winner “Less”

 “Writing is an essential strategy against oppression.”

- Alice Walker, author of the

1983 Pulitzer winner

“The Color Purple”

Nelson, who has just used the slur “jungle bunny” says,

“Dad, you’re really prejudiced. 

You should travel more.”

-John Updike from his 1982 Pulitzer Fiction Winner, “Rabbit is Rich” 

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