Chatterji wins 2024 Wolfson History Prize

In the UK, historian Joya Chatterji has won the £50,000 (A$98,781) Wolfson History Prize 2024 for Shadows at Noon: The South Asian Twentieth Century (Vintage).

Previously longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Nonfiction and shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize, Shadows at Noon was selected as winner of Wolfson History Prize from a shortlist of five titles.

Said the prize judges of the book: ‘A captivating history of modern South Asia, full of fascinating insights about the lives of its peoples. Written with verve and energy, this book beautifully blends the personal and the historical.’

Chair of judges David Cannadine said: ‘Shadows at Noon is a highly ambitious history of twentieth-century South Asia that defies easy categorisation, combining rigorous historical research with personal reminiscence and family anecdotes. Chatterji writes with wit and perception, shining a light on themes that have shaped the subcontinent during this period.’

Now in its 52nd year, the Wolfson History Prize recognises ‘books which combine excellence in research with readability for a general audience’.

The winner of last year’s award was Halik Kochanski for Resistance: The Underground War in Europe, 1939–45 (Allen Lane).

Category: International awards