Top Ten Tuesday: (Off the board this week .) My favorite Pulitzer Prize winners.
I'm three books way from reading all the Pulitzer Prize winners of the 21st-century which is the goal for my personal Pulitzer challenge. In addition I've read 42 of the 96 winners overall, plus eight of its finalists. Here is my master list of the Pulitzers.
1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee [1961]*
Even though times have changed our sensibilities since this famous book was published, I still love the story so much and I'm smitten by Scout as the book's narrator.
2. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver [2023]
Kingsolver is one of, if not my favorite author. I've enjoyed everything she has written. I was delighted to learn that she is a co-winner for the 2023 Pulitzer with Trust by Diaz, (which I haven't read yet.) The story was inspired by David Copperfield and by Dickens himself.
3. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr [2015]
I don't normally love war stories but this one is so brilliantly wrought I had to reread it within two years of reading it for the first time. I love the way Doerr weaves together themes and returns to them over and over.
4. Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx [1994]
I've read this book at least three times and I'm getting the itch to reread it for a fourth. I cannot put my finger on what it is that I like about this book so much except that it is stuffed full of quirky characters and a very unique setting.
5. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry [1986]*
USA Today said, "If you read only one Western novel in your life, read Lonesome Dove." I agree. This epic novel about the Old West is a must-read. Ignore the fact that it is 850+ pages long, just saddle up and enjoy the ride.
6. The Overstory by Richard Powers [2019]
"When is the best time to plant a tree?" -- 20 years ago. "When is the next best time to plant a tree?" -- Now! This book of seven interconnected stories all revolve around trees. I loved every minute of it.
7. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt [2014]
One event can change the trajectory of one's life forever. I was obsessed with this book after I listened to all 30+ hours of the audiobook.
8. The Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole [1981]*
This is a very, very funny novel with one of the most memorable characters in all of literature: Ignatius J. Riley. I especially loved the audio version of the book for its Louisiana accents.
9. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Micahel Chabon [2001]
This book is about so much: the early days of comic books, WWII, the Holocaust, magic, art, Houdini. I just finihsed this one so it will have to live on the list at this spot until I figure out how it weathers in my mind.
10. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz [2008]
Another story about a comic, yet bedraggled character. It asks us to examine where home is and how do we get there. Partially set in Dominican Republic.
11. The Road by Cormac McCarthy [2007]*
How does one love a book about the end of the world? Let's just say I was deeply impacted by this one.
12. The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri [2000]
Short stores set in India aor about Indian Nationals abroad. This stories are all stuck in my head and I think about them often.
They
both look at the horrors of slavery from different angles. They both
blew me away for what they revealed and the power of their words.
14. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck [1940]
Written
during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl this novel rings true
with every page. Do you want to understand our history of that time
period? Read this novel.
15. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck [1932]
I read this in high school and it made a huge impact on me. For years I told people this was my favorite book. I placed it on my top ten to honor my younger self who loved it.
What are your favorites from among the Pulitzer Prize winners?
* Are my husband's top four!
-Anne
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