PEN/Faulkner Award 1989: Complete list of winners

The 1989 PEN/Faulkner Award recognized some of the year’s most compelling American fiction, with celebrated author James Salter taking the top honor. Salter’s Dusk and Other Stories captured the fiction prize, cementing his reputation as one of the finest practitioners of the short story form. Known for his elegant prose and psychological depth, Salter brought a career’s worth of refined storytelling to this collection, earning recognition from the prestigious award that has long championed serious literary achievement in the United States.

The PEN/Faulkner Award, named after the legendary William Faulkner, stands as one of America’s most respected literary honors, celebrating the year’s best American fiction. By the late 1980s, the award had established itself as a bellwether of literary quality, often recognizing writers whose work emphasized craft and innovation over commercial appeal. Salter’s selection reflected the award’s commitment to honoring sophisticated fiction that prioritizes artistry and nuance—qualities that would define much of the prize’s selections throughout the following decade.

Below is the complete list of winners and finalists from the 1989 PEN/Faulkner Award:

Fiction

• Dusk and Other Stories by James Salter