Our Pulitzer Prize Winner: THERE IS NO PLACE FOR US by Brian Goldstone

On Monday, May 4, the Pulitzer Prizes, the most prestigious awards in American letters, were announced by Administrator Marjorie Miller via livestream. We’re thrilled to share that Penguin Random House author Brian Goldstone‘s THERE IS NO PLACE FOR US was honored with a Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.

Each year, the Pulitzer Prizes are awarded by Columbia University on the recommendation of the Pulitzer Prize Board. Eligible titles include books first published in the U.S. during 2026. More than 2,500 entries are submitted annually, all competing to be a finalist in one of the 23 categories across journalism, books, drama and music.

Behind the scenes, over 100 judges serve on 22 juries, carefully reviewing entries and narrowing each category down to three finalists. This rigorous, months-long process reflects both the volume and quality of the work considered. Before judging begins, each jury aligns on a shared set of criteria—such as difficulty, originality, and impact—to guide their decisions and ensure a thoughtful, consistent evaluation process.

To date, PRH has accumulated 144 Pulitzer Prize winners, including William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Josh Steinbeck, Ron Chernow, Anne Applebaum, Colson Whitehead, and many. many more.

Our 2026 Pulitzer Prize Winner:

General Nonfiction

THERE IS NO PLACE FOR US: Working and Homeless in America by Brian Goldstone (Crown; Random House Audio)

and Finalists:

General Nonfiction

MOTHER EMANUEL: Two Centuries of Race, Resistance, and Forgiveness in One Charleston Church by Kevin Sack (Crown; Random House Audio)

Fiction

AUDITION by Katie Kitamura (Riverhead; Penguin Audio)

STAG DANCE by Torrey Peters (Random House; Random House Audio)

History

KING OF KINGS: The Iranian Revolution: A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation by Scott Anderson (Doubleday; Random House Audio)

Biography