Ann Patchett in a NYT article theorized why the Pulitzer Prize Board did not award a prize for fiction this year. She concluded that either a consensus couldn’t be reached or that none of the finalists were deemed worth of the prize.
She believes that most readers will come to the conclusion that “it was a bum year for fiction.” She takes issue with that conclusion because in her opinion there were so many good books published this year, including her latest effort “State of Wonder,” which was in the running for the prize. Jane Smiley on her Facebook page also expressed regret that this was the decision reached by the Pulitzer Board.
Smiley and Patchett both mentioned several books that they felt were worthy of the prize. At one time of other, we had copies of the mentioned books on our shelves. And that is probably where they sat for month after month. Great books but not being widely read.
Patchett lamented that wouldn’t it have been great if the media could have reported on something besides “Fifty Shades of Grey” or “The Hunger Games.” Most books don’t get that kind of hype. “The Pulitzer Prize is our best chance as writers and readers and booksellers to celebrate fiction. This was the year we all lost.”