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$75,000 U.S. awarded to author of Going Dutch: How England Plundered Holland's Glory

Going Dutch: How England Plundered Holland's Glory (Harper), the remarkable story of the relationship between the Dutch Republic and Britain, two of 17th Century Europe's most important colonial powers, has earned British historian Lisa Jardine the 2009 Cundill International Prize in History at McGill University.

In this wide-ranging book, Jardine masterfully assembles new research in political and social history, together with the histories of art, music, gardening and science, to show how Dutch tolerance, resourcefulness and commercial acumen had effectively conquered Britain long before the Glorious Revolution of 1688 that overthrew King James II of England. Above all, Jardine tests the traditional view that the rise of England as a world power took place at the expense of the Dutch, finding instead that it was a "handing off" of the baton of cultural and intellectual supremacy to a Britain then expanding in international power and influence.

McGill Dean of Arts and Cundill Jury Administrative Chair Christopher P. Manfredi made the announcement this morning at McGill's Faculty Club. "Once again, the jury members have impressed me with their dedication and deep commitment to scholarly and literary excellence," said Manfredi. "Leading them through their deliberations was extremely rewarding.

"Going Dutch has been selected because of its exceptional scholarship; written quality; original presentation and broad accessibility: all the criteria that are set for this Prize. It's an example of excellence. The two other finalists: Champlain's Dream and The Comanche Empire are also works of great distinction," said Canadian Senator and jury member Serge Joyal. "It is a satisfying privilege to recognize the merit of such remarkable scholarly books and acknowledge the quality of these works for their ability to challenge our conventional perspective and add to our deeper understanding of History."

Jardine, a CBE, is the Centenary Professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary, 听University of London. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and an Honorary Fellow of King's College, Cambridge and Jesus College, Cambridge. Jardine writes and reviews for the UK's national newspapers and magazines and for the Washington Post. She is a regular writer and presenter of "A point of view," on BBC Radio 4. She judged the 1996 Whitbread Prize, the 1999 Guardian First Book Award, the 2000 Orwell Prize and was Chair of Judges for the 1997 Orange Prize and the 2002 Man Booker Prize. Jardine has published more than 50 scholarly articles and 17 full-length books, a number of them in co-authorship with others. She is the author of a number of best-selling general books, including Worldly Goods: A New History of the Renaissance, Ingenious Pursuits: Building the Scientific Revolution, and biographies of Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke.

The largest non-fiction historical literature prize in the world, the annual Cundill Prize awards $75,000 U.S. to an author who has published a book with a profound literary, social and academic impact on a given subject. Two $10,000 U.S. "Recognition of Excellence" prizes are also awarded. The shortlist, chosen from over 138 entries from around the world, was announced on Oct. 19, 2009.

The two "Recognition of Excellence" finalists are: Champlain's Dream (Knopf Canada), by Brandeis University history professor and Pulitzer Prize-winner David Hackett Fischer, and The Comanche Empire (Yale University Press) by Pekka H盲m盲l盲inen, a Finnish-born professor of Native American history at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

The 2009 jury includes Professors Angela Schottenhammer (Munich/Mexico) and Roger Chartier (Paris); Timothy Aitken, President of the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation; Canadian author Denise Chong; Senator Serge Joyal; and Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Maclean's Magazine, Kenneth Whyte.

The Cundill International Prize in History at McGill was established in April 2008 by McGill alumnus and renowned investment manager F. Peter Cundill. It is administered by 香蕉视频's Dean of Arts, with the help of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC).

F. Peter Cundill FCA, CFA, is Chairman Emeritus of Mackenzie Cundill. His career in investment management spans more than 40 years since he graduated from 香蕉视频 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1960. He is a Chartered Accountant (1963) and a Chartered Financial Analyst Charter Holder (1968). Throughout his career, Mr. Cundill has earned many distinctions. In December 2001, he was presented with the Analysts' Choice Career Achievement Award as the greatest mutual fund manager of all time. A native of Montreal, he has lived in London, England, for the past 30 years.

Cundill Prize on the Web: /cundillprize

Shortlist book synopses, jacket art and author bios: /cundillprize/shortlist

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