Shortlist for the Wolfson History Prize 2017 announced
The six shortlisted titles for the Wolfson History Prize 2017 have been announced today. It is the first time that the Prize has issued a shortlist in its 45 year history. Each shortlisted author will receive £4,000. The overall winner will be revealed at a reception at Claridge’s on Monday 15 May 2017 and will receive a prize of £40,000.
The shortlisted books for this year’s award are:
- Daniel Beer, ‘The House of the Dead: Siberian Exile under the Tsars‘, Published by Allen Lane
- Chris Given-Wilson, ‘Henry IV‘, Published by Yale University Press
- Christopher de Hamel, ‘Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts‘, Published by Allen Lane
- Sasha Handley, ‘Sleep in Early Modern England‘, Published by Yale University Press
- Lyndal Roper, ‘Martin Luther Renegade and Prophet‘, Published by The Bodley Head
- Matthew Strickland, ‘Henry the Young King, 1155 – 1183‘, Published by Yale University Press
Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation said: “We are delighted to announce this shortlist of six remarkable books. Together they exhibit a wonderful range of period, place and type of history. But they are united by their brilliance, combining the highest scholarly standards with a lucid readability. They will be enjoyed by a wide audience, and I can imagine any of them as an ideal companion for a summer holiday.
We are also very excited to be announcing a shortlist for the first time. This reflects the sheer range and quality of history being produced in the UK today. We hope that the shortlist will shine a light on even more books, and also encourage debate about what makes brilliant, accessible history.”
The judges for the Wolfson History Prize 2017 are: Sir David Cannadine (Chairman), Sir Richard Evans, Professor Julia Smith and Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch.
