Fiction · United States
The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
The most prestigious American fiction prize, awarded for distinguished fiction by an American author. Winners from 2000 onward.
Awarded each year by Columbia University since 1917 (as the Prize for the Novel until 1948), the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction honours distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life.
The list below runs from 2000 to 2025. No prize was awarded in 2012, and in 2023 the prize was shared. The Pulitzer organisation's site holds the full history.
Winners
- 2000 Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2001 The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay Michael Chabon · more by this author Find on Amazon →
- 2002 Empire Falls Richard Russo Find on Amazon →
- 2003 Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2004 The Known World Edward P. Jones Find on Amazon →
- 2005 Gilead Marilynne Robinson · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2006 March Geraldine Brooks
- 2007 The Road Cormac McCarthy · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2008 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Junot Díaz
- 2009 Olive Kitteridge Elizabeth Strout · more by this author
- 2010 Tinkers Paul Harding
- 2011 A Visit from the Goon Squad Jennifer Egan · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2013 The Orphan Master's Son Adam Johnson
- 2014 The Goldfinch Donna Tartt · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2015 All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2016 The Sympathizer Viet Thanh Nguyen · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2017 The Underground Railroad Colson Whitehead · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2018 Less Andrew Sean Greer · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2019 The Overstory Richard Powers · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2020 The Nickel Boys Colson Whitehead · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2021 The Night Watchman Louise Erdrich · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2022 The Netanyahus Joshua Cohen · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2023 Demon Copperhead Barbara Kingsolver · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2023 Trust Hernan Diaz · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2024 Night Watch Jayne Anne Phillips · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2025 James Percival Everett · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2026 Angel Down Daniel Kraus · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
No prize was awarded in 2012. The 2023 prize was shared between two books. The list covers 2000–2025.
Winners verified against the prize's official records. For the complete history, see the official The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction site.
Common questions
Who can win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction?
The fiction prize goes to a distinguished book of fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life, published during the award year.
Has the Pulitzer for Fiction ever not been awarded?
Yes — in some years the board has declined to give the award, most recently in 2012, when no fiction prize was awarded.