Episode · Stuff You Should Know · 2024-03-28
Books mentioned on The Pulitzer Prize: A major award!
It doesn't get much bigger than the Pulitzer Prize if you're a journalist. Or a novelist.
Josh Clark recommended Less by Andrew Sean Greer, and discussed 1491 by Charles C. Mann and others, Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet, Fences by August Wilson, A million little pieces by James Frey, and Roots by Alex Haley. Also mentioned: 1493 by Charles C. Mann and others.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Less
Less by Andrew Sean Greer is a comedic novel that follows a failed novelist nearing fifty who accepts a series of haphazard international literary events to escape a wedding.
Recommended“I picked this book because that's sometimes when I'm after novel and it's been a while I will go to the Pulitzer list and that's exactly what I did and I'm reading less by Andrew Shan Greer which won in 2018 and it is so funny and great”
Where to get it
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1493
1493 by Charles C.
Discussed“He won, which was yours, 1491! And then the follow-up was 1493! He won a big award for that, but not the Pulitzer!”
Where to get it
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1491
1491 by Charles C.
Discussed“which was yours 1491 yeah and then the followup was 1493 yeah he he he won a big award for that but not the bulletz”
Where to get it
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Glengarry Glen Ross
Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet is a Pulitzer Prize-winning play that explores the cutthroat, desperate world of Chicago real estate salesmen engaging in unethical and high-pressure tactics to close deals.
Discussed“David Mammoth won for Glen Gary Glenn Ross yeah they sure did”
Where to get it
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Fences
Discussed“August Wilson uh won for fences another great play so yeah great great plays”
Where to get it
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A million little pieces
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey is a controversial autobiographical work that chronicles addiction, rehabilitation, and recovery.
Discussed“I think the sad thing is that apparently it's sort of like the uh a million little pieces book yeah uh that that guy wrote like I read that book and it was great with a capital G M”
Where to get it
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Roots
Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley is a monumental historical novel that traces several generations of an African American family from freedom through slavery to emancipation, leaving a profound mark on American culture and historical awareness.
Discussed“Alex Haley was another one in 1977 uh for his book Roots which I never knew it had a a colon but I didn't the full the full title of roots was Roots colon The Saga of an American family”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“But apparently the Pulitzer committee is not interested in that kind of thing! He won, which was yours, 1491! And then the follow-up was 1493!”