2010 Pulitzer Prizes
Journalism
Bristol (VA) Herald Courier
For the work of Daniel Gilbert in illuminating the murky mismanagement of natural-gas royalties owed to thousands of land owners in southwest Virginia, spurring remedial action by state lawmakers.
Staff of The Seattle Times
For its comprehensive coverage, in print and online, of the shooting deaths of four police officers in a coffee house and the 40-hour manhunt for the suspect.
Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman of Philadelphia Daily News
For their resourceful reporting that exposed a rogue police narcotics squad, resulting in an FBI probe and the review of hundreds of criminal cases tainted by the scandal.
Sheri Fink of ProPublica, in collaboration with The New York Times Magazine
For a story that chronicles the urgent life-and-death decisions made by one hospital's exhausted doctors when they were cut off by the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina.
Michael Moss and members of the Staff of The New York Times
For relentless reporting on contaminated hamburger and other food safety issues that, in print and online, spotlighted defects in federal regulation and led to improved practices. (Moved by the Board from the Investigative Reporting category.)
Raquel Rutledge of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
For her penetrating reports on the fraud and abuse in a child-care program for low-wage working parents that fleeced taxpayers and imperiled children, resulting in a state and federal crackdown on providers.
Matt Richtel and members of the Staff of The New York Times
For incisive work, in print and online, on the hazardous use of cell phones, computers and other devices while operating cars and trucks, stimulating widespread efforts to curb distracted driving.
Anthony Shadid of The Washington Post
For his rich, beautifully written series on Iraq as the United States departs and its people and leaders struggle to deal with the legacy of war and to shape the nation's future.
Gene Weingarten of The Washington Post
For his haunting story about parents, from varying walks of life, who accidentally kill their children by forgetting them in cars.
Kathleen Parker of The Washington Post
For her perceptive, often witty columns on an array of political and moral issues, gracefully sharing the experiences and values that lead her to unpredictable conclusions.
Sarah Kaufman of The Washington Post
For her refreshingly imaginative approach to dance criticism, illuminating a range of issues and topics with provocative comments and original insights.
Tod Robberson, Colleen McCain Nelson and William McKenzie of The Dallas Morning News
For their relentless editorials deploring the stark social and economic disparity between the city's better-off northern half and distressed southern half.
Mark Fiore, self syndicated, appearing on SFGate.com
For his animated cartoons appearing on SFGate.com, the San Francisco Chronicle Web site, where his biting wit, extensive research and ability to distill complex issues set a high standard for an emerging form of commentary.
Mary Chind of The Des Moines Register
For her photograph of the heart-stopping moment when a rescuer dangling in a makeshift harness tries to save a woman trapped in the foaming water beneath a dam.
Craig F. Walker of The Denver Post
For his intimate portrait of a teenager who joins the Army at the height of insurgent violence in Iraq, poignantly searching for meaning and manhood.
Books, Drama & Music
Tinkers, by Paul Harding (Bellevue Literary Press)
A powerful celebration of life in which a New England father and son, through suffering and joy, transcend their imprisoning lives and offer new ways of perceiving the world and mortality.
Next to Normal, by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey
A powerful rock musical that grapples with mental illness in a suburban family and expands the scope of subject matter for musicals.
Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World, by Liaquat Ahamed (The Penguin Press)
A compelling account of how four powerful bankers played crucial roles in triggering the Great Depression and ultimately transforming the United States into the world's financial leader.
The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt, by T.J. Stiles (Alfred A. Knopf)
A penetrating portrait of a complex, self-made titan who revolutionized transportation, amassed vast wealth and shaped the economic world in ways still felt today.
Versed, by Rae Armantrout (Wesleyan University Press)
A book striking for its wit and linguistic inventiveness, offering poems that are often little thought-bombs detonating in the mind long after the first reading.
The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy, by David E. Hoffman (Doubleday)
A well documented narrative that examines the terrifying doomsday competition between two superpowers and how weapons of mass destruction still imperil humankind.
Violin Concerto, by Jennifer Higdon (Lawdon Press)
Premiered on February 6, 2009, in Indianapolis, IN, a deeply engaging piece that combines flowing lyricism with dazzling virtuosity (Lawdon Press).
Special Citations
Hank Williams
For his craftsmanship as a songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life.