Acclaimed author Percival Everett has won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the British Book Award for Author of the Year for his powerful novel James. A bold and imaginative retelling of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man, James explores themes of identity, freedom, and language with Everett’s signature wit and insight. Everett also won the 2024 National Book Award for this same novel. James was Everett's 24th novel and instantly became a literary phenomenon.
According to the New York Times, "It turns out that “James” was not the top pick among the Pulitzer’s five fiction jury members. It wasn’t even in the top three, according to three people with knowledge of the process, who were not authorized to speak about the confidential deliberations." Later in the story the writer mentions. "Many in the literary world celebrated the Pulitzer board's decision as a fitting outcome for a writer who has pushed the boundaries of fiction for decades. Much of Everett's work has been published by independent presses, though Doubleday, a major publisher, put out "James."
This triple recognition highlights Everett’s growing international acclaim and the novel’s resonance on both sides of the Atlantic. If you're new to his work or a longtime fan, here's a list of some of the author's other books that are currently in the library's collection: Dr. No, The Trees, So Much Blue, Erasure, and Watershed.