Pulitzer Prize Winning Novels From The '80s, Ranked By Reviews

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The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is one of the most prestigious awards in the writing world, and the '80s proved a seriously varied era when it came to deciding which books were deserving of the esteemed gong. The honor was handed to the notoriously heart-wrenching tale "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker in 1983, three years after eyebrows were raised when Norman Mailer's "The Executioner's Song" was controversially chosen — despite not technically being a fiction book (more to come on that). Because the decade's picks were all over the place, that means there's more than likely an '80s Pulitzer winner to whet your appetite, no matter what you're looking for from your next read.

But with so many drastically different books from the halcyon era jostling for the spotlight, deciding which to read first is no easy task. That's why we dove into the Goodreads scores and reviews for all the Pulitzer honorees from 1980 up to 1989 to determine which deserves the title of the best of the best. We then ranked each one based on its average score out of 5.0, with the biggest score highest on our ranking, presented in descending order.

"A Summons to Memphis" by Peter Taylor is a historical fictional tale with a 3.62 Goodreads score from over 6,900 ratings at the time of writing. 1987's Pulitzer Prize winner takes us inside the lives of the Carver family amid the impending marriage of their widowed dad. The grown up children don't think their dad should be married again, in part because they believe his much younger fiancée may have ulterior motives behind walking down the aisle. At his sisters' request, eldest brother Phillip Carver returns to his home state to try and stop the upcoming union, but he soon realizes the issue may actually lie with his siblings, not his potential new stepmom.

Goodreads users recommended the book for those who want a nostalgic look back at southern life with a heavy dose of family drama thrown in. Another reviewer remarked they felt its Pulitzer Prize win was well deserved, while an impressed five-star review stated, "'A Summons to Memphis' is a story of family, forgiveness, recognition, and reconciliation. It is also a powerful tale of how children reverse the role of control from parent to self. The question for each family ultimately is whether natural human emotions will hold sway over forgiveness and the possibility of redemption."

"Breathing Lessons" by Anne Tyler, the 1989 Pulitzer Prize Winner, is an emotional tale with heartstring pulling romantic undertones. It centers on married couple Ira Moran and Maggie Moran, and delves into the realizations and hard truths they have to face after attending the funeral of a close friend. The touching novel is packed with emotion that puts the focus on the rollercoaster of long-term unions, as the two deal with the dramas brought to their doors by their children — and each other. It's been rated more than 34,200 times on Goodreads and has amassed a score of 3.66 at the time of writing.

One Goodreads user praised the novel for its balanced blend of emotionality and humor, while another wrote, "Anne Tyler has a way of writing and collecting the simple elements of life that thrills me. While reading this book I was reminded of emotions and feelings from moments in my life that I had forgotten I felt." Another recommended the book to those who appreciate deep character studies and noted the book's depth is likely what helped it win its Pulitzer Prize. "Breathing Lessons" is far from Tyler's only successful book though. She's also the author of the equally popular "The Accidental Tourist," a book from 1985 that's still relevant today.

With more than 13,100 ratings and an average score of 3.76 at the time of writing, 1985's Pulitzer Prize winner, "Foreign Affairs" by Alison Lurie, is a tale of romance that has enchanted readers. The book's protagonist Virginia Miner is working on a children's story in London and loving her life amid the sophisticated. But she soon finds herself in the company of a brutish American she has no interest in fraternizing with, who may remind her too much of the life she used to live. At the same time, her American colleague Fred Turner makes a trip across the pond for research and finds himself besotted with the high life as he falls in love with a British actress. Suddenly, he and Virginia's paths cross when they find themselves in similarly confusing situations. 

Many readers raved about how well the book highlights the nuances of two so similar, yet still very different cultures. "Lurie's writing is worthy of a Pulitzer, and I did appreciate her portrayal of Miner still needing affection as she moves toward older age," one Goodreads reviewer stated. "This was well written and highly perceptive," wrote another fan, as they recommended the novel and praised its descriptions of '80s London. "'Foreign Affairs' will give pause for thought but will also deliver wonderfully subtle humour. This is fine literary fiction; it is elegant, insightful and ever entertaining," stated another review.

William Kennedy's "Ironweed" has more than 17,900 ratings at the time of writing for an average score of 3.87. The historical fiction novel, which won its Pulitzer Prize in 1984, introduces us to the down-on-his-luck former athlete Francis Phelan. Francis has all but given up on life and accepted he's homeless and jobless with no desire to get back on his feet. His downward spiral stems from his very dark history of inflicting harm on others before running away from his problems. But our protagonist decides he needs to come to terms with his demons, which means returning to the sites of his troubled former life to finally face the music. The book was turned into a movie of the same name in 1987 and starred Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep.

"All in all a classic which deserves to have won the Pulitzer Prize!!!" one reviewer wrote on Goodreads. Another highlighted that the book contains dark themes and gave it four stars, noting, "It is a dark, dirty, sordid and sad story." So no quick, breezy beach read here. In another impressed review, a reader shared, "I really loved how this book was both raw and poetic at the same time. The way William Kennedy switched between the romantic and poetic language of the narrator and the crude and brutish dialogues of the characters brought me a mild shock every time."

"A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole has amassed more than 305,700 ratings on Goodreads for an average score of 3.89 at the time of writing. The dark yet humorous book was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1981 and is widely recognized for its colorful portrayal of 1960s New Orleans. The popular story follows Ignatius J. Reilly's adventures in the Louisiana party town as he gets into all kinds of scrapes and mishaps that'll have the reader wincing as they get a hilarious insight into his clumsy life.

Multiple reviewers praised the book's intense humor, with one writing in a five-star Goodreads review, "A Confederacy of Dunces' is extremely hilarious and is known to have caused uncontrollable laughter in several cases. Read it in public at your own risk!" A second shared in their own five-star review, "A laugh-out-loud picaresque, a story chock-full of satire and unforgettable humorous detail as we follow the adventures of our larger-than-life rascal-hero, Ignatius J. Reilly." A third noted Ignatius' lack of perfection and bumbling nature contributed to the book being such an enjoyable read.

"Rabbit Is Rich" from John Updike, the 1982 Pulitzer Prize fiction winner, is the third (of five) in Updike's "Rabbit Angstrom" series. It's set a decade after the previous book in the collection, "Rabbit Redux," and brings back protagonist Harry Angstrom. Harry has been promoted to chief sales representative at Springer Motors and is enjoying the happy high life. But it looks like the good times won't last long when his son suddenly returns home, which sees Harry's life turn upside down and reminds him he may not have the control he once thought he did. At the time of writing, the book has an average score of 3.93 from over 18,100 ratings.

More than one five-star review claimed "Rabbit Is Rich" had improved on "Rabbit Redux," while other's were quick to heap praise on Updike's writing style. "What makes this book so good is the balance between comedy and sadness. Rabbit is older and more comfortable, but not wiser in any simple way," one wrote. Another noted the book contains outdated themes and language, plus graphic themes, but shared, "For those of you who can understand that that's all part of the character and part of the times, you will accept this for the masterpiece it is."

Toni Morrison's "Beloved" is the first of three books in the "Beloved" series. The novel sits just inside the top five on our ranking thanks to its average score of 3.99 at the time of writing from over 508,500 ratings. The historical fiction book tells the story of a former slave named Sethe who manages to escape her captor and start a new life. But, though many years have passed since she was enslaved, she finds she has too many deep-rooted memories of the torture she was subjected to that still affect her. That includes heartbreaking recollections of her late baby, who tragically never got the life they deserved. The harrowing book won its Pulitzer Prize in 1988, despite becoming part of the banned book club when it was taken out of school classrooms due to its explicit sexual content.

"Beautifully written, cleverly constructed, populated with unforgettable moments and characters," one Goodreads reviewer wrote of the poignant novel. In a five-star review, one reader praised the way the book dives into some dark themes that can be uncomfortable to read but are necessary to discuss. They poignantly noted, "An aspect of Morrison's oeuvre that ensures it lasting importance is how she draws a direct line between past and any present to force us to confront the lasting effects of slavery and that we cannot just dismiss it as a sin of the past but as a lasting trauma with its talons still drawing blood in the present day."

1980's Pulitzer Prize winner, "The Executioner's Song" by Norman Mailer, has a high rating of 4.05 on Goodreads at the time of writing. The novel has been rated over 24,100 times and marks an interesting win in the fiction category, as it's technically a true crime non-fiction book — though Mailer has defended its win and category. "Nonfiction provides answers and fiction illumines questions. I think my book does the latter," he told The New York Times (via The Pulitzer Prizes) amid questions over its eligibility. The gritty book, which was the inspiration for the 1982 movie of the same name starring Tommy Lee Jones, delves into the intriguing yet dangerous life of criminal Gary Gilmore. Gilmore was not only famous for his heinous crimes, but for his determination to be executed rather than life the rest of his life in prison.

"'The Executioner's Song' is a feat," admitted one reader on Goodreads. "It is not pleasant but it is an overlook to the way some people's real lives happen to work out, by luck, decision or both," they added. Another reviewer touched on how Mailer was able to tell the subjects' stories without bias. "He doesn't dismiss them or satirize or even condemn them, but makes them clearly complex and real and lets us decide what to make of it all," they said. In a five-star review, another reader praised the book's simplicity, while another fan made it clear they felt the book was deserving of its Pulitzer Prize. If you like "The Executioner's Song," check out the best thriller books centered on serial killers for an equally creepy and captivating read.

"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker became a hugely popular drama movie starring the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg in 1985. But, before that, it was a 1983 Pulitzer Prize winning novel. The fiction book has amassed over 768,300 ratings on Goodreads at the time of writing, resulting in a very impressive 4.28 rating out of 5.0. It's set in the early 1900s and tells the story of sisters Celie and Nettie, who send each other letters over the course of several decades. It also expands to tell the life stories of other African American women as they struggle through the highs and (major) lows of life and create unbreakable bonds.

"Despite the terrible circumstances of life in the Deep South in the 1930s and 1940s, it is a book about the joy of living," one Goodreads user wrote of "The Color Purple," noting the overall message of the book is still positive despite the characters' heartache. A second recommended it for fellow readers who like historical fiction and woman-led literature, while a third said, "It's complex, it's multi-layered and at times it's tough to read, but if that's your jam I can totally recommend this book to you."

Surprisingly, "The Color Purple" has long been subjected the criticism in schools, with some parents repeatedly trying to get the book banned from classrooms. Some have cited the books depiction of a same sex romance and its descriptions of sexual abuse as being unsuitable for young people. But it's most definitely a banned book from the 1980s that deserves a spot on your reading list, and it's even one of former United States secretary of state Hilary Clinton's favorite books.

Topping our list of Pulitzer Prize winning novels from the '80s is the Western novel "Lonesome Dove" from Larry McMurtry. At the time of writing, it's amassed a huge score of 4.60 on Goodreads, made up of over 274,000 reader ratings. The long (it has almost 1,000 pages!), historical fiction combines romance and adventure, and it's the first of four books in McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove" collection. Retired rangers Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call decide to embark on a cattle drive from Texas that will see them end up in Montana. Along the way, they encounter some very interesting characters, as well as some serious danger that won't be easy to get over. The 1986 Pulitzer winner went on to become a 1989 mini series starring the likes of Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, and Anjelica Houston.

Multiple Goodreads reviews remarked on how real the characters (both major and minor) felt through McMurty's storytelling, while others shared their opinion that the book was a deserving Pulitzer Prize winner. "This was such a surprisingly wonderful read, well beyond the traditional stereotypes of westerns with realistic, lovable (and hateful) characters and an incredible scenario," one five-star review read. "What a phenomenal read, enormous and brilliant, witty and heartbreaking, a [mammoth] tale that touches the reader's emotions on so many levels," shared another reader, who admitted they weren't initially interested in the lengthy book but become heavily invested after 100 pages. "Lonesome Dove" is also a book to add to your TBR list if you're a fan of the western TV series "Dutton Ranch."

To make it onto our ranking, each novel needed to have won a Pulitzer Prize in the fiction category between 1980 and 1989. We did not narrow our list by genre. To determine which book is considered best amongst readers, we looked at each one's overall score on Goodreads. The larger its average reader-voted rating (out of 5.0) at the time of writing, the higher we placed it. We also considered detailed reader reviews on the site to ascertain why each book got its score and what fans liked most about the story and writing.