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Stephen Platt wins 2012 Cundill Prize at McGill
Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, The West, and The Epic Story of The Taiping Civil War earns $75,000 prize, largest international prize for work on history
Published: 30 November 2012
Platt鈥檚 winning book describes China in the 1860s as not some exotic, otherworldly 鈥淢iddle Kingdom鈥� removed from the course of events in the West, but a country deeply integrated into the world鈥檚 economy and home to thousands of foreigners. And, as it descended into civil war, the Western powers were watching.
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The Taiping Rebellion was a conflict with threads that reached around the world 鈥� intertwining with, among other events, the simultaneous Civil War in the United States. Its resolution was to a significant degree determined by outsiders. For the West, it proved a dark warning of the perils of involvement in foreign wars and a reminder of just how difficult it can be 鈥� in hindsight 鈥� to distinguish between humanitarian intervention and imperialism.
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鈥�All three finalists are, of course, winners of a substantial prize鈥� said Christopher Manfredi, Dean of McGill鈥檚 Faculty of Arts, which awards the prize.听鈥淲e are so appreciative of this year鈥檚 Cundill jury members, who tackled a huge task with such respect to the prize. It was important to the jury that the books be accessible to a general audience and they have done a terrific job.听
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鈥淭he three books really are winners and the grand prize winner is just a step above. I am sure that everyone will gain new insight by reading any (or all) of these books.鈥�
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鈥淚 never intended to become a historian 鈥� I听was听a math major who ended up in the English department 鈥� it was only in the course of a two-year teaching position in the Hunan province after college that I began to take a serious interest in how the past and present interweave,鈥� Platt said at the soir茅e. 鈥淎s most who practice history know, the truth can indeed be more wondrous than fiction.鈥� Platt is Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst).
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The two other finalists,听Steven Pinker听-听The Better Angels of our Nature:听 The Decline of Violence in History and Its Causes听(Allen Lane), and听Andrew Preston听-听Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith:听 Religion in American War and Diplomacy听(Alfred A. Knopf Canada)听were awarded "Recognition of Excellence" prizes of $10,000 (USD) each. The finalists were chosen from 142 eligible submissions, representing publishing houses from around the world.
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The three finalists were introduced at the awards ceremony by jury member听Jeffrey Simpson,听The Globe and Mail鈥檚听national affairs columnist.听In addition to Simpson, this year鈥檚 Cundill Jury included Executive Vice-President of Brown-Forman Corporation,听Garvin Brown;听Charles Kesler,听Professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College; and听Vanessa Schwartz, Professor in the Department of History at the University of Southern California.
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In addition, the Honourable Michael Meighen announced at last night鈥檚 awards ceremony that a new $6.7-million gift from the Cundill Foundation to 香蕉视频鈥檚 Faculty of Arts will permanently endow the prestigious Peter Cundill Prize in History, as well as the Peter Cundill Fellowships for graduate students in the Department of History (two awards per year valued at $25,000 each).听 More information can be found at听
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The Cundill Prize in History at McGill is the world鈥檚 most important international historical literature prize, with a grand prize of $75,000 (USD) and two 鈥榬ecognition of excellence鈥� prizes of $10,000 (USD).听 The prize was established in 2008 by McGill alumnus F. Peter Cundill, who passed away in January 2011, and is administered by 香蕉视频's Dean of Arts, with the help of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC).
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For more information:听www.mcgill.ca/cundillprize
