The prize-winning books of 2005
In 2005, the prizes ReadingRate follows named 14 winners. The most approachable is The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (difficulty 51/100, about 3.4 hours); the hardest is We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (75/100).
- Nobel Prize in Literature: Harold Pinter — difficulty 60/100
- Booker Prize: The Sea by John Banville — difficulty 73/100
- Pulitzer Prize for Fiction: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson — difficulty 54/100, about 6 hours
- International Booker Prize: Ismail Kadare — difficulty 65/100
- National Book Award for Fiction: Europe Central by William T. Vollmann — difficulty 69/100, about 32 hours
- Women's Prize for Fiction: We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver — difficulty 75/100, about 19 hours
- Hugo Award for Best Novel: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke — difficulty 73/100, about 36 hours
- Nebula Award for Best Novel: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
- Prix Goncourt: Trois jours chez ma mère by François Weyergans
- Dublin Literary Award: The Known World by Edward P. Jones — difficulty 58/100, about 11 hours
- PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction: War Trash by Ha Jin — difficulty 55/100, about 6.3 hours
- National Book Award for Nonfiction: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion — difficulty 51/100, about 3.4 hours
- Costa Novel Award: The Accidental by Ali Smith — difficulty 58/100, about 7.1 hours
- Albert J. Beveridge Award: Israel on the Appomattox by Melvin Patrick Ely
Earlier: 2004 · Every year · Later: 2006
Other prizes: Nobel Prize in Literature, Booker Prize, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, International Booker Prize, National Book Award for Fiction, Women's Prize for Fiction, Hugo Award for Best Novel, Nebula Award for Best Novel, Prix Goncourt, Dublin Literary Award, PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, National Book Award for Nonfiction, Costa Novel Award, Albert J. Beveridge Award, Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction. Every literary prize; every winner of 2026.