Finalists for 24th Susanne M. Glasscock Book Prize
Announcing the finalists for the 24th Annual Susanne M. Glasscock Book Prize
Libel and Lampoon: Satire in the Courts, 1670-1792 (Oxford University Press)
Andrew Benjamin Bricker
From the shortlisting committee—
“In Libel and Lampoon, Bricker makes early modern legal history relevant to the present by demonstrating that law is central to our understanding of the genre of satire. He successfully demonstrates that contemporary forms of satire from The Daily Show to Key and Peele follow a model of interpretive ambiguity that was developed out of necessity, as seventeenth- and eighteenth-century authors sought to avoid prosecution. More broadly, his discussion of the law’s ability to shape and be shaped by sociocultural factors like written and nonverbal satire is not only important but also timely, as we increasingly face challenges to laws we long believed to be ‘settled.’ Engaging and clear, Libel and Lampoon makes this subject accessible to a wide audience.”
Indigenous Continent: The Epic Contest for North America (Liveright)
Pekka Hämäläinen
From the shortlisting committee—
“Covering four centuries, Indigenous Continent offers an impressive and compelling counter-narrative to traditional histories of European colonialism and native resistance. Emphasizing the complexity of indigenous agency and social organization, diplomatic and commercial relations, multilateral conflicts and power struggles both with the European empires and within the indigenous peoples of North America, Hämäläinen paints a dynamic picture of the peoples of North America and the contest for the continent. Indigenous Continent is a well-written and engaging book, broadly appealing to academic and non-academic audiences alike, and it has many insights to offer to different kinds of readers.”
America, Goddam: Violence, Black Women, and the Struggle for Justice (University of California Press)
Treva B. Lindsey
From the shortlisting committee—
“Powerful, personal, and extensively researched, Treva B. Lindsey's eloquent writing stands out among the contenders. Lindsey unapologetically confronts the reader with her research and the reality of the ever-present role of violence in the lives of black women in America. Through historical research, journalistic style, and sharp expertise, Lindsey asks readers to confront unpleasant histories and reconsider the women they know or their own histories. Lindsey navigates this tough ask of her readers by offering up pieces of herself, with the inclusion of her own deeply personal and lived experiences with this violence.”
Racism and the Making of Gay Rights (University of Toronto Press)
Laurie Marhoefer
From the shortlisting committee—
“Laurie Marhoefer’s engaging and vividly written book offers readers both a thoughtful biography of pioneering sexologist Magnus Hirschfield and a powerful history of the gay rights movement before the 1969 Stonewall uprising. But by similarly attempting to reconstruct the life of Hirschfield’s Chinese research assistant and lover, Li Shiu Tong, the author also reveals the powerful undercurrents of racism and imperialism that tinged the earliest years of gay liberation. In seamlessly weaving together the study of race, gender, sexuality, empire, and literature, Marhoefer reveals the true potential of interdisciplinary thinking to reframe our understanding of the past, present, and future.”
Fit Nation: The Gains & Pains of America’s Exercise Obsession (The University of Chicago Press)
Natalia Mehlman Petrzela
From the shortlisting committee—
“Fit Nation provides a relevant, informative history of how exercise in all its varieties has become a way of life for countless Americans while also exploring the variety of barriers to fitness. . . . From the strongman attraction of the late 1800's to the Fitbit and Peloton of the present, Petrzela presents a thorough, exhaustive, and well-researched chronicle of the pursuit of fitness in America.”
Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future (University of Washington Press)
James Morton Turner
From the shortlisting committee—
“Charged provides an accessible and thorough introduction to the complexities arising from our attempts to build sustainable infrastructure in response to climate change and other ecological problems. The work is an excellent example of how histories can speak to a present situation and how technical details intertwine themselves with ecological concerns. The three histories (of lead acid batteries, disposable batteries, and lithium batteries) each provide essential context for our current situation and build to a provocative and essential lesson for environmental action, both in our systems and personally, pushing us to think more carefully about how we imagine and can forge a green future.”