For a distinguished book upon the history of the United States, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

Awarded to Polio: An American Story by David M. Oshinsky (Oxford University Press)

Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger (left) presents David M. Oshinsky with the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in History.

Finalists

Also nominated as finalists in this category were: "New York Burning" by Jill Lepore (Alfred A. Knopf), and "The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln" by Sean Wilentz (W.W. Norton).