Tag: Pulitzer Prize Novel

A Thousand Acres

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This was the second time I read “A Thousand Acres.” So many years had passed since the first time I read it, I didn’t remember many of the details of the story. But as the story enfolded, it all felt very familiar to me.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but the story is so sad. The book starts up slowly – the author spends much time building the setting, describing the characters, and does a great job describing the family dynamics. Around the midpoint of the book, everything starts falling apart for the families that are central to the story. It is compelling and heart breaking to see how the family’s carefully crafted façade begins to fall apart as the characters and family ties implode and eventually collapse.

Pulitzer Prize Winning Novels I’ve Read

18052I started reading Pulitzer Prize winning novels in April 2009.

Here’s a pictorial summary of the Pulitzer Prize winning books I’ve read over the years.

2015 Reading List

049 All the Light048 His Family047 Ironweed046 Lamb in His Bosom045 A Thousand AcresSo BigCaine Mutiny

2014 Reading List

Empire FallsForeign AffairsRead: 8/10/2014The Gold Finch038 Grapes of Wrath037 Collected Stories KAP036 The Executioners Song

2013 Reading List

035 confederacy-of-dunces034 Lonesome Dove033 Orphan Masters Son032 Arrowsmith031 Martin Dressler030 All the Kings Men029 Now in November

2012 Reading List

028 House Made of Dawn027 Laughing Boy026 A Death in the Family025 One of Ours024 Alice Adams023 The Fixer022 Killer Angels

2011 Reading List

021 Interpreter of Maladies020 A Visit from the Goon Squad019 Gone With 3018 shipping_news017 Stone Diaries016 The Hours015 Jamie McPheeters

2010 Reading List

014 Advise and Consent013 Tinkers012 To Kill a Mocking Bird 011 Color Purple010 A Summons To Memphis009 Breathing Lessons008 Confessions of Nat Turner007 Good Scent from Strange Mountain

2009 Reading List

006 Guard of Honor005 Elbow Room004 Keepers of the House003 Olive Kitteridge002 Gilead001 Oscar Wao

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

OscarWaoThe Epilogue Book Club had a great meeting yesterday to discuss “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Diaz.

Most members agreed that the numerous footnotes and the prolific use of Spanish words and terms throughout the book made reading the book very challenging. Most agreed that having a glossary of Spanish words and terms used in the book would have helped. All-in-all, the book club thought the book was worthwhile reading.

I, personally, found the book to be quite thought provoking. I finished the book with tears in my eyes and the characters in the book stayed with me for several days afterwards.

We meet again at 2:00 pm on Sunday, May 31 to discuss “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson.  The location for the next meeting is still to be determined.

If you’d like to learn more about the Epilogue Book Club or join us to discuss the next book, please call me at 678.321.6526 or send me an email.

The Epilogue Book Club is reading Pulitzer Prize winning novels.  To view our current reading list, see Epilogue Book Club: Current Reading List.