For distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

Awarded to The Known World by Edward P. Jones (Amistad/ HarperCollins)

Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger (left) presents Edward P. Jones with the 2004 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.

Finalists

Also nominated as finalists in this category were: "American Woman" by Susan Choi (HarperCollins) and "Evidence of Things Unseen" by Marianne Wiggins (Simon & Schuster).