Pulitzer Prize Literature Guide

The Pulitzer Prize is an award given to outstanding examples of writing in 21 different categories, including literature, journalism and letters. The awards, which were established in 1917, were named for Joseph Pulitzer, a renowned and respected journalist. The awards are announced courtesy of Columbia University's president every April. Books that win the Pulitzer Prize are considered some of the best examples of writing in the English language. Learn more about these prestigious awards by looking at the Pulitzer Prize literature guide below.

Notable Pulitzer Prize Winners:

1. Winning novels: From 1918 through 1947, a Pulitzer Prize was awarded for novels. The category was broadened to include all fictional books in 1948. Past winners of the award included classics such as "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, "The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton and "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell.

2. Winning fiction: Since the category changed in 1948, fiction winners have included books like "The Hours" by Michael Cunningham, "Rabbit at Rest" by John Updike, "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker, "Beloved" by Toni Morrison, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway and "The Caine Mutiny" by Herman Wouk.

3. Winning nonfiction: The Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction has been awarded since 1962. Past winners include books such as "The Guns of August" by Barbara W. Tuchman, "Dragons of Eden" by Carl Sagan, "On Human Nature" by Edward O. Wilson and "Slavery by Another Name" by Douglas A. Blackmon.

4. Winning poetry: Since 1922, Pulitzer Prize awards have been given out to books of poetry. Some of the most notable names in poetry are past recipients, including Carl Sandburg's "Corn Huskers," Robert Frost's "New Hampshire: A Poem with Notes and Grace Notes," Marianne Moore's "Collected Poems," Theodore Roethke's "The Waking" and Sylvia Plath's "Collected Poems."

5. Winning drama: The Pulitzer Prize for drama has been awarded since 1917 and includes winners such as "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder, "Harvey" by Mary Chase, "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams, "Driving Miss Daisy" by Alfred Uhry and "Rent" by Jonathan Larson.