The 2025 Pulitzer Prizes are being announced today, May 5, 2025, by Columbia University. The awards ceremony is being livestreamed at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Immediately following the announcement, the full list of winners and finalists—including biographical information and their winning or nominated works—will be available on the official Pulitzer Prize website.
About the Pulitzer Prizes
The Pulitzer Prizes, established in 1917, are among the most prestigious awards in the United States for achievements in journalism, literature, drama, and music. Each year, prizes are awarded in 23 categories, including areas such as Breaking News Reporting, Investigative Reporting, Public Service, Feature Writing, Fiction, History, and Music, among others.
Context and Significance
The Pulitzer Prizes are recognized as a benchmark for excellence in American journalism and the arts. According to the Board, the prizes represent a commitment to the highest standards of fairness, honesty, and storytelling and often highlight coverage of major national and global events, as well as significant literary and artistic achievements.
Awarding Process
- The Pulitzer Prizes are awarded on the recommendation of the Pulitzer Prize Board.
- For each category, a jury nominates three finalists. The Board then selects the winner by majority vote or may choose a different entry with a 75% majority or decide not to issue an award in a category.
- Winners receive a certificate and $15,000, except for the Public Service category, which awards a gold medal to the news organization.
Unfortunately, the Pulitzer Prize is not like the Oscars, Tonys, or Emmys. They do not publish a list of nominees prior to the awards ceremony. The awards ceremony announces the three finalists in each category as the only recognized nominees, along with the winners. The names of the jurors and the Board members are also typically kept confidential until the announcement to prevent any potential lobbying or campaigning, according to The Pulitzer Prizes. Such anonymity is a good thing, but it means that we have to guess about the winner and nominees.
Top Predicted Finalists for 2025
Here are the best guesses for 2025 made by literary experts who are much smarter than I am:
- James by Percival Everett
This novel is the consensus frontrunner among predictors, topping all major prediction lists. Everett’s work has received significant critical attention and is considered a strong contender for its literary merit and impact. - Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
Akbar’s debut novel has been lauded for its exploration of identity, faith, and immigration. It has appeared on multiple award lists and is frequently mentioned as a likely finalist. - Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
Orange, previously a Pulitzer finalist for his debut, There There, returns with a novel that explores generational trauma and Native American identity. It has received widespread critical praise and was longlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize. - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
This novel about home and belonging has been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and featured on several “best of” lists, making it a strong candidate. - Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
Kushner’s latest, a spy novel with comedic elements, has been recognized on the Booker Prize shortlist and National Book Award longlist. Though spy novels are not typical Pulitzer fare, Kushner’s literary reputation keeps her in contention. - All Fours by Miranda July
Miranda July's novel, All Fours, is a novel about personal reinvention, renowned for its humor and originality. It was a National Book Award finalist and shortlisted for the Women’s Prize. - The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck
A collection of interconnected short stories set in New England, recognized as a PEN/Faulkner nominee and Audie Award nominee. - Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima
A speculative short story collection praised by critics and recognized by The New York Times and Publishers Weekly. - Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
Although only mentioned by one predictor, Strout’s reputation and the book’s critical reception place it among the possible finalists. - The Hearing Test by Eliza Barry Callahan
This title has limited mentions, but it has received strong critical support, making it worthy of inclusion in some predictions.
Of the possibilities above, I've read half of them. I predicted that James would win the Pulitzer Prize when I read it last year. We'll see if I'm right in about an hour.
The awards ceremony will stream live on the Pulitzer Prize website, or you can watch it on YouTube. Here is the stream.
I'll post all of the finalists and winners tomorrow, as well as notable winners of past years.
I can hardly wait! Join me in celebrating outstanding literature and great authors by watching the awards.
"Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it, and above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light." ~Joseph Pulitzer
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