Chapter 1
Unconventional voices in the spotlight
Chapter 2
Journalism's strangest scoops and scandals
Chapter 3
The board's big overrides and snubs
Chapter 4
Bizarre origins, rules, and oddities of the prize
Ch 3 · The board's big overrides and snubs
schopenhauer Pulitzer Board Overrides
Jury gave the nod, / Board shut it down, / No prize for the Duke!
schopenhauer For the first time in 35 years, the Pulitzer Board gave no fiction award in 2012 after rejecting all three of the jury's nominated finalists.
Fun Fact
Gravity's controversial rejection: The Pulitzer Board rejected Thomas Pynchon's 'Gravity's Rainbow' in 1974 because they found it 'unreadable' and 'obscene', leaving the year with no winner.
schopenhauer In 1974, the fiction jury voted unanimously for Thomas Pynchon's 'Gravity's Rainbow', but the Board overruled them, calling it 'obscene'.
Glossary
override (verb)
To use authority to reject or cancel a decision. In 1921, the advisory board overrode the jury's selection of Sinclair Lewis's Main Street.
To use authority to reject or cancel a decision. In 1921, the advisory board overrode the jury's selection of Sinclair Lewis's Main Street.
Quiz
What special honor did the Pulitzer Board create for Alex Haley's 'Roots' in 1977 after refusing to give it the main Fiction prize?
BETA
schopenhauer Swipe through history's biggest snubs to discover how the Pulitzer board overrode its judges.
schopenhauer The Pulitzer Board rejected Thomas Pynchon's novel Gravity's Rainbow.
Quiz
What novel by Norman Maclean was rejected by the Board in 1977, leading to a 'No Award' year for fiction?
Quiz
In 1921, the Board changed the award criteria word from 'whole' to 'wholesome' to justify giving the prize to which novel?
schopenhauer Author Sinclair Lewis rejected the Pulitzer Prize for his novel Arrowsmith.
Quiz
How many members sit on the Pulitzer Prize Board to make the final voting decisions?
Quiz
Who was the author of the 2012 finalist 'Swamplandia!' which was snubbed when the Board chose 'No Award'?
Quiz
In 2012, how many fiction finalists did the Pulitzer Board reject before declaring 'No Award' for the year?
Quiz
Why did Sinclair Lewis refuse the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for his novel 'Arrowsmith'?
Quiz
Which famous 1974 novel did the Pulitzer Board reject as 'unreadable' and 'obscene,' choosing to award no prize instead?