Fellow shortlisted for book prize

A Fellow of St Catharine’s is in contention for the 2023 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. Revolutionary Spring: Fighting for a New World 1848–1849 (2023, Allen Lane) by Professor Sir Chris Clark (1990), Ostrer Professorial Fellow in History and also the Regius Professor of History at the University of Cambridge, was included on the shortlist of six books announced at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on 8 October 2023.

The longest book on the shortlist, Revolutionary Spring vividly portrays a momentous era of history. Marked by the collapse of political order and the spread of new ideas which would shape a new and drastically different Europe, the transformative period of 1848–49 addressed issues such as women’s role in society, the abolition of slavery, the right to work, national sovereignty and the emancipation of the Jewish population.

Founded in 1998, the Baillie Gifford Prize is celebrating its 25th anniversary and is now widely recognised as Britain’s preeminent non-fiction book prize. The next winner will be revealed at a prize ceremony on 16 November 2023. The judges’ comments on Revolutionary Spring read:

“This is a magisterial account of the causes, unfolding and consequences of the European revolutions of 1848. Too often dismissed as failures, Christopher Clark shows how these revolutions shaped European history and reverberated throughout the world. Beautifully written with great sensitivity to the lives caught up in social and political upheaval, Revolutionary Spring is a powerful book that will engage contemporary readers and influence accounts of European history for decades to come.”

Sir Chris’s previous books include Iron Kingdom: the Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600–1947 (2006, Penguin), which won the Wolfson Prize for History, and The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 (2012, Penguin), which won the LA Times Book Prize (History) in 2013. He was knighted in the 2015 birthday honours list for services to British-German relations.

Frederick Studemann, chair of the judging panel and Financial Times literary editor, said:

“I'm delighted with the range, originality and relevance of this year's shortlist. Alongside works from the frontline of the battle with climate change and institutional failure within the NHS, it includes haunting and inspiring books on the transcendental nature of music and dance, the legacy of the Cultural Revolution as well as the story of one of Europe's great forgotten revolutions. While each title is distinct and different – some are the result of a lifetime's work, others the product of courageous and clear-sighted reporting – they are all top class thought-provoking, even surprising, works of literary non-fiction.”

He also included in his announcement In Cheltenham that Sir Chris “writes like an angel”.

Find out more about studying History at St Catharine's.