Pulitzer Book Club Inclusion Guide
No Pulitzer Novel Award 1946
INCLUSION MILESTONES
1946
• Paralyzed Vets of America founded by service members
• Washington, first Black NFL player, signs with Rams
• Mother Cabrini first U.S. citizen canonized as saint
AUTHOR INSPIRATIONS
Jury was split between “Apartment in Athens” (Glenway Wescott), “The Wayfarers” (Dan Wickenden) and “Black Boy” (Richard Wright).
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Mystery! The 1946 Pulitzer Jury Report is missing/ not in the Pulitzer Prize office files at Columbia University.
Pulitzer Jury role: identify three finalists with supporting rationales. Pulitzer Board has option to select non-nominated entry or award no prize. Majority Board vote determines prize outcome. Columbia University President bestows awards with recommendation of the Pulitzer Prize Board. Joseph Pulitzer’s will provided funds to Columbia to launch a journalism school and establish Pulitzer Prize.
“Black Boy,” an autobiography (aka non-fiction), was a jury finalist for Pulitzer’s Novel (fiction) prize but was rejected by the jury because it is a memoir.
“However, because death is the only absolute equality among human beings on earth, even the ignoblest and the most welcome instance of it deserves a little ceremonious thought.”
― Glenway Wescott, “Apartment in Athens”
“It was permissible to talk about the weather and what you had for dinner last night, but faith and love and all the discoveries you had made after so much effort and heartache must be hidden like shameful secrets.”
― Dan Wickenden, “The Wayfarers”
You’re serving the very picky and indecisive, so go very broad and waste time, or serve one thing and embrace dissatisfaction.
“If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about the solutions.”
― Albert Einstein
Umm, not sure.
WW2 ended the year books were published/eligible to win the 1946 Pulitzer. Could/did any novel deliver the real-life emotions and drama experienced that year?
Walk or drive in a circle.
“The Pulitzer at 100,” a 2016 indie documentary released in the Pulitzer's 100th year.
“Animal Farm,” published in 1945, posits “All animals are created equal.”