One of the best ways to choose a book worth reading to see if it has won any accolades. Which is why we will be looking at Pulitzer Prize winning historical fiction books worth reading. Keep reading to see what books you should add to your reading list!

We have been on a marathon, covering the best historical fiction books over the past few weeks. I have read a lot of amazing historical fiction books but still have many more to read. This genre is one of my favorite and many of my favorite books tend to be historical fiction books.

And I want to find even more favorite books which is why we will be looking at Pulitzer Prize winning historical fiction books. Maybe in another article we will look at the nominations that should have won. But this list only focuses on the winners. You can see the full list below!

Pulitzer Prize Winning Historical Fiction Books

The Underground Railroad

Pulitzer Prize Winning novel
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Before reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, I had no idea who Whitehead was. But after reading his 2017 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, I was hooked. His writing style and storytelling ability made it impossible to put this novel down.

The story tells the story of Cora, a slave in the south during the 19th century. She attempts to escape slavery by following the Underground Railroad. What makes this alternate history special is the webs that Whitehead creates with his writing and showcases his ability as one of the best authors alive.

The Nickel Boys

Whitehead is such a special writer that won the Pulitzer Prize twice, making him one of four authors to do so. And Nickel Boys is a novel that deserved the Pulitzer Prize. The novel is completely different from his previous winner but just as good.

Elwood Curtis is a young black boy who is wrongly sentenced to Nickel Academy, a juvenile reform school that is supposed to turn them straight. But the school takes advantage of they boys and is filled with racism and abuse and surviving to see the next day is not guaranteed.

This novel is based on actual events and if it wasn’t for this novel, few people would know about this horrible event. Like many tragedies, it was buried and forgotten but people like Whitehead know how powerful a story can be. You will be angry and shocked and throughout it all, you will appreciate what Whitehead was able to accomplish with this novel.

The Sympathizer

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and ended up being named of the 30 best books of the year by The New York Times. The Vietnam War is one that is often ignored and forgotten. But this novel reminds us that millions of people were affected by it.

The novel is set in 1975 and the following years and takes place in Vietnam and Los Angeles. The protagonist is unnamed and is a half-Vietnamese, half-French undercover communist agent. He was sent to the United States as a kid to be educated and has a firm understanding of both American and Vietnamese values. 

Throughout the book, the unnamed protagonist tells us his story and being a double agent, trying to survive in the U.S in the 1970’s. His job requires him to be close to the General and report to his bosses even after the fall of Saigon.

It is a story about identity, love, survival, and what it means to live thousands of miles away from home follows and is a breath of fresh air as written by Viet Thanh Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American professor. Novels like these are why the Pulitzer Prize Award was created and why I love reading the winners and nominations.

Conclusion

These are the Pulitzer Prize winning historical fiction books worth reading and to add to your reading list. These are powerful novels that will tug at your heart while also giving you history lessons. And there’s a good chance you will learn about historical events few people knew about. Happy reading!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook 

Discover more from Books of Brilliance

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.