Iowa alumni win 2026 Pulitzer Prizes for memoir, fiction

Two University of Iowa alumni have won 2026 Pulitzer Prizes, and two more were named finalists - with Yiyun Li and Daniel Kraus joining a distinguished list of more than 40 Iowa-affiliated Pulitzer winners.

"Iowa is known as the 'Writing University' for a reason, and this year's Pulitzer Prize announcement is a testament to our legacy, our programs, and our faculty," says Daniel Khalastchi, executive director of the University of Iowa Office of Writing and Communication. "From uniquely inventive fiction and deeply researched history to visceral memoir writing that stunningly examines difficult aspects of the human experience, our alumni continue to write and publish literature that transforms our world."

Yiyun Li, who graduated with a Master of Science in 2000 and two MFAs (fiction and nonfiction) in 2005, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Memoir or Autobiography for Things in Nature Merely Grow. The Pulitzer judges described the book as "a writer's deeply moving and revelatory account of losing her younger son to suicide a little more than six years after her older son died in the same manner, an austere and defiant memoir of acceptance that focuses on facts, language, and the persistence of life."

Li was a 2024 finalist in fiction for her book of short stories Wednesday's Child. Li's short stories and novels have won numerous awards, including the PEN/Hemingway Award for A Thousand Years of Good Prayers and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for The Book of Goose. She currently teaches at Princeton University.

Daniel Kraus, who graduated in 1997 with a BA in communication studies, was recognized with the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for Angel Down. Judges say this World War I story, told in a single sentence, is "a stylistic tour-de-force that blends such genres as allegory, magical realism, and science fiction into a cohesive whole."

Kraus is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. His novel Whalefall won the Alex Award, was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, and was named a Best Book of 2023 by NPR, The New York Times, Amazon, Chicago Tribune, and more. He also has collaborated with multiple filmmakers, including Guillermo del Toro and George A. Romero.

Two additional Iowa alumni were recognized as finalists, underscoring the depth of Iowa's impact across genres.

Torrey Peters, who graduated in 2009 with an MFA in nonfiction writing, was named a finalist in fiction for Stag Dance: A Quartet. Peters' 2021 bestselling novel Detransition, Baby, won the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel and was named one of the 100 Best Books of the 21st Century by The New York Times. It was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize, a finalist for the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize, and longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction.

Scott Anderson, who graduated in 1993 with an MFA in fiction, was named a finalist in history for King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution: A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation. Anderson is the author of two novels and five works of nonfiction, including Lawrence of Arabia, a bestseller that was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and a New York Times Notable Book.

"Regardless of genre, writers who study at Iowa find support, intellectual rigor, and a community that believes pursuing a life dedicated to storytelling is a noble endeavor," Khalastchi says. "This is a special place, and our College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the Nonfiction Writing Program, Communication Studies, and our faculty deserve the highest praise possible."

The honors add to a long legacy of literary excellence at Iowa, where generations of authors have developed their voices and gone on to shape the literary landscape.

Khalastchi says the most important thing for young writers to remember is that anything is possible, and that while there's no clear path that guarantees artistic success, those who put in the work, stay curious, and believe in themselves will find that opportunities are limitless.

"While it is exciting to celebrate awards like the Pulitzer, none of these incredible authors began their creative process fixating on an accolade," Khalastchi says. "Instead, they wrote toward the art - toward the magic of the sentence and the idea that there is great power in language. This is what they learned at Iowa from their teachers and peers. Our current students know this too, and we can't wait to see what they achieve in the future."

Pulitzer Prizes are awarded annually to honor achievements in journalism, literature, and music. See the full list of 2026 Pulitzer winners.