The Big Read at Kansas City Public Library

During Hemingway’s lifetime, he was awarded two of the most prestigious books awards for his work.  In 1953, he won the Pulitzer Prize and in 1954 he won the Nobel Prize for Literature.  While almost everyone has heard of these two awards, many people may have no idea what the awards mean and how they are decided.

The Pulitzer Prize (an American award) is the highest national award that can be given for print journalism.  It was established by Joseph Pulitzer and the first prize was awarded in 1917 and is announced each year in April.  Each year, more than 2,400 entries are submitted for consideration for the prize and 21 awards are normally given.   Visit the official Pulitzer Prize website for the complete list of winners.

The Nobel Prize in Literature is the highest international award that can be given for literature and looks at an author’s whole body of work and judges “the most outstanding work of an idealistic tendency”.  Established by Alfred Nobel, the first prizes were awarded in 1901.  Any Academy member, member of a literary society, professor of literature, former winners and the presidents of writers associations are eligible to nominate candidates.  For more information on the Nobel Prize and a complete list of winners, visit http://nobelprize.org/

  Trivia for the day:  Where does the phrase, “grace under pressure” originate?