The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is a national prize honoring "the best published works of fiction by American citizens in a calendar year." It is the largest peer-juried award in the country.
The award was founded in 1980 by members of the international writers’ organization PEN and is now governed by an independent foundation board. Named for William Faulkner, who used his Nobel Prize money to create an award for young writers, the aim of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation is to bring together "American writers and readers in a wide variety of programs to promote a love of literature."
I became more interested in reading the PEN/Faulkner winners when I learned that Hawthorne Books is re-issuing some of the older, out-of-print titles as part of a new series. Hawthorne editions are so pleasingly tactile, with their trademark thick matte covers, sewn bindings, and "French flaps" that make the covers so thick and nice -- I literally want to get my hands on them. I have two (Seaview and Soldiers in Hiding) and look forward to adding more to my collection.
So far, I have read seven of the 29 winners and have another 12 on my TBR shelf. Those I have read are in red. Those currently on my TBR shelf are in blue.
2009 Netherland by Joseph O'Neill
2008 The Great Man by Kate Christensen
2007 Everyman by Philip Roth
2006 The March by E L Doctorow
2005 War Trash by Ha Jin
2004 The Early Stories: 1953-1975 by John Updike
2003 The Caprices by Sabina Murray
2002 Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2001 The Human Stain by Philip Roth
2000 Waiting by Ha Jin
1999 The Hours by Michael Cunningham
1998 The Bear Comes Home by Rafi Zabor
1997 Women in Their Beds: New and Selected Stories by Gina Berriault
1996 Independence Day by Richard Ford
1995 Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
1994 Operation Shylock: A Confession by Philip Roth
1993 Postcards by E. Annie Proulx
1992 Mao II by Don Delillo
1991 Philadelphia Fire by John Edgar Wideman
1990 Billy Bathgate by E. L. Doctorow
1989 Dusk and Other Stories by James Salter
1988 World's End by T. Coraghessan Boyle
1987 Soldiers in Hiding by Richard Wiley
1986 The Old Forest and Other Stories by Peter Taylor
1985 The Barracks Thief by Tobias Wolff
1984 Sent for You Yesterday by John Edgar Wideman
1983 Seaview by Toby Olson
1982 The Chaneysville Incident by David Bradley
1981 How German Is It = Wie Deutsch Ist Es by Walter Abish
Sunday, February 7, 2010
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4 comments:
Great post! I really have never investigate the history of the award. I've only read The Hours and Waiting and enjoyed both.
Many of the titles that have won have certainly been on my list.
I've been meaning to do that with the Nobel. Right now I'm too busy with my list from The well-Educated Mind and The New Lifetime Reading Plan.
http://autodidact-101.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Reading%20List
Michelle -- I was surprised to see how many of these I had read and were on my shelves without me knowing that they had won this prize. I could make some progress without even paying attention. :)
Auto -- Just what I need, more lists! Of course, I am heading over there right this minute. You may even inspire me to adopt another list or two.
"Snow Falling on Cedars" rocked. That is such a great book. I love that you have all the lists for the awards that I can look at now when I am reviewing mine. :)
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