Question 1

What are the criterion and prize for winning the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction?

Accepted Answer

“For distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life, fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).”
Permanent residents of the United States, those who have made the United States their longtime primary home as well as current U.S. citizens are eligible authors.
The award is announced in May for fiction first published in the U.S. during the previous calendar year.
https://www.pulitzer.org/page/books-submission-faq-guidelines-and-requirements

Question 2

How have criteria for a Pulitzer fiction win changed?

Accepted Answer

1904: The will of Hungarian immigrant Joseph Pulitzer describes winner as “the American novel published during the year which shall best present the whole atmosphere of American life and the highest standard of American manners and manhood.”
1918: Standard changed from “whole” to “wholesome.” 
1928: “The American novel published during the year, preferably one which shall best present the whole atmosphere of American life.”
1930: “The best American novel published during the year, preferably one which shall best present the wholesome atmosphere of American life.”
1934: “The best novel published during the year by an American author, preferably dealing with American life.”
1936: “A distinguished novel of the year.”
1947: “Novel” replaced by “fiction in book form.”
1948: Prize name changed from Pulitzer Prize for the Novel to Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Short story collections as well as novels are eligible.
2012: “For distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life.”
2025: Eligibility includes permanent residents of the United States and those who have made the United States their longtime primary home as well as current U.S. citizens.

Question 3

Why read Pulitzer fiction winners instead of a collection of books written to address inclusion?

Accepted Answer

Pulitzers are a curated collection of “distinguished fiction, preferably about American life.”
The 100+ year span of fiction winners is a way to examine the evolution of literary content in the context of inclusion as well as the diversity of the artists selected over time as Pulitzer fiction winners.
Reading Pulitzer fiction winners through an inclusion lens provides a fresh take on Pulitzer fiction winners and new approach to creating dialog about inclusion.   
Talking about inclusion through Pulitzer novels and short stories creates meaningful dialog about inclusion in a way that data, painful reality, and sermons cannot.
Thinking about a Pulitzer winner from an inclusive perspective creates a framework that can inspire people to think about inclusion in all forms of art and expression.
Naturally we do not advocate reading Pulitzers to the exclusion of other books.  Hopefully readers and book groups will apply the Inclusive lens of the Pulitzer Book Club to other books.

Question 4

What is Inclusion?

Accepted Answer

Inclusion is respect. Inclusion is feeling and being valued.  Inclusion is a sense of belonging as well as opportunity and access.
Inclusion requires and goes beyond representation through diversity and fair treatment through equality.

Question 5

How do I read for inclusion?

Accepted Answer

Read and enjoy.
Take time to consider how people treat each other in the novel and why. 
Think about what you can do based on what you’ve read. Pulitzer Book Club provides customized Inclusion Guides for each fiction winner to inspire reflection and discussion.

Question 6

What makes Pulitzer Book Club different and useful?

Accepted Answer

Pulitzer Book Club is devoted to creating a more Inclusive society through dialog about Pulitzer Fiction winners. 
The Pulitzer Book Club does not duplicate content that is already done well.  There are many complementary websites devoted to literary analysis and detailed author biographies and several sites summarize progress of a segment of the American population.
The Pulitzer Book Club focuses on exclusion and inclusion in the Pulitzers. Unique elements of the Pulitzer Book Club include tools to select which Pulitzer to read, Guides to discuss Pulitzers from an inclusion perspective, and Inclusion Milestones curated by the Pulitzer Book Club.

Question 7

Is this an official Pulitzer website?

Accepted Answer

No. Pulitzer.org is the official website of the Pulitzers.
The goal of the Pulitzer Book Club is to encourage people to Read for Inclusion. Pulitzer Book Club is free, independent resource with a mission to help book groups, readers, and librarians who plan community events engage about Inclusion through the Pulitzers.

Question 8

Is Pulitzer Book Club out to make money?

Accepted Answer

No. PulitzerBookClub.com is a non-profit. Mission is to foster Inclusion through dialog about exclusion and Inclusion in Pulitzer Fiction Winners.
We encourage those who find value in PulitzerBookClub.com to support causes that advance inclusion and their local library.
Our Featured Readers identify causes with inclusive missions. Here’s a link to find your local library: https://www.worldcat.org/libraries

Question 9

How can educators use the Pulitzer Book Club?

Accepted Answer

Pulitzer Inclusion Guides provide background info and discussion prompts to encourage students to read for inclusion.
Inclusion Milestones, annual progress toward inclusion, provide context for discussing literature and a reference for multidisciplinary exploration.
The processes used to discuss Pulitzer fiction winners can be applied to other literature.

Question 10

Can reading a Pulitzer fiction winner for inclusion be an option for Diversity Equality and Inclusion training?

Accepted Answer

Many paths are needed to become a more inclusive America. Reading fiction is a way to inhabit the lives of other people and a window into thoughts, wants, needs, fears, dreams, motivations, impulses, prejudices, and preferences.   
A collaborative group exploration of exclusion and inclusion through the lens of a Pulitzer fiction winner can be a launchpad for ideas to create a more inclusive team.
Pulitzer Book Club provides Inclusion Guides for fiction winners to structure conversations about exclusion, inclusion and creating inclusion through a Pulitzer fiction winner.

Inclusion is respect. Inclusion is feeling and being valued.

Frequently asked questions