Living Canon

Pulitzer Prizes 2025: Complete list of winners

The 2025 Pulitzer Prize winners have arrived, and this year’s selections offer a fascinating portrait of American letters at a pivotal moment. From Percival Everett’s audacious James claiming the Fiction prize to Marie Howe’s luminous poetry collection earning top honors, the Pulitzer committee has recognized work that challenges conventions while deepening our understanding of history, identity, and human connection. The Drama award goes to Branden Jacobs-Jenkins for Purpose, while the nonfiction categories showcase an impressive range of ambition: Kathleen DuVal’s sweeping Native Nations and Edda L. Fields-Black’s meticulous Combee both won the History prize, while Jason Roberts’ Every Living Thing and Benjamin Nathans’ To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause earned recognition in Biography and General Nonfiction respectively. Rounding out the winners, Tessa Hulls’ groundbreaking graphic memoir Feeding Ghosts marks an evolution in how the Pulitzers recognize innovative forms of autobiographical storytelling.

What emerges from this year’s Pulitzer Prize selections is a commitment to works that blend rigorous scholarship with literary artistry, whether that’s historical narrative or contemporary poetry. These winners represent the kinds of books that define their moment while speaking to enduring questions about power, memory, resistance, and what it means to live thoughtfully. The 2025 Pulitzer Prizes remind us why these awards still matter—they shine a light on the most significant voices in American writing and give readers a trusted roadmap to essential books.

Below, discover the complete list of 2025 Pulitzer Prize winners across all categories:

Biography

Drama

  • Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Fiction

  • James by Percival Everett

General Nonfiction

History

Memoir or Autobiography

Poetry