2010: Tinkers by Paul Harding
Imagine having your debut novel win the Pulitzer Prize. That’s exactly what happened to Paul Harding, whose book Tinkers earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist and became a New York Times best-seller before winning one of the nation’s most prestigious literary awards. The book’s history is inspirational to many: Harding’s manuscript was rejected again and again by agents, bought by a small press for just $1,000, and managed to generate a fair amount of literary buzz – buzz that swelled to a giant uproar when the Pulitzer’s decision was announced. It was the first book published by a small press to win the Pulitzer since John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces.
Originally Published
