Stacey Levine, a St. Louis native and acclaimed author, has been named one of three finalists for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for her novel Mice 1961. The story unfolds over a tense day in the lives of two orphaned sisters, narrated through the perspective of their obsessive housekeeper. Mice, the younger sister, faces ridicule from neighbors due to her unusual appearance and behavior, while Jody, the housekeeper, grapples with fears about what may happen if Mice chooses to leave home. The arrival of an unexpected visitor dramatically alters the lives of all three women in profound and lasting ways.
Currently an English professor at Seattle Central College, Levine teaches courses ranging from introductory essay composition to creative writing. A graduate of Parkway North High School and former member of Congregation Temple Israel, Levine credits her literary beginnings to her St. Louis upbringing, where she started writing short stories inspired by authors such as Grace Paley and Jane Bowles.
Levine has since established herself as a unique voice in contemporary American literature. Her short story collection, My Horse and Other Stories, won the PEN Fiction Award. Another collection, The Girl with Brown Fur, was longlisted for The Story Prize and shortlisted for the Washington State Book Award, as was her novel Frances Johnson. Her work has garnered international attention, with translations appearing in Danish and Japanese literary journals.
In addition to her writing, Levine has shared her expertise as a guest fiction instructor at institutions including San Francisco State University, the University of Utah, and Brown University. She also participated in the Prose Festival in Copenhagen, where she presented alongside noted writers such as Andrei Bitov and Grace Paley.
