Two UU scientists in the running for Libris History Prize

For her book Dievenland (Thieves' Land), cultural historian Coopmans searched old archives for confessions made by petty criminals. Based on these, she attempts to reconstruct daily life in Dutch cities.

Her book has received rave reviews in the media, including the national newspaper De Volkskrant. ‘Nothing was sacred: money was stolen from the collection box and the mantle, crown and rosary of the statue of Mary were stolen from the church in Vught,’ the newspaper writes. ‘There is a certain poetry in these lists, and Coomans clearly takes pleasure in them.’

In De Laatste Dagen van Barbarije (The Last Days of Barbarism) by UU historian Erik de Lange, readers are immersed in the world of piracy in the Mediterranean at the beginning of the nineteenth century. DUB published a short review of the book earlier this year. The Netherlands played a largely forgotten yet crucial role in combating the threat to naval fleets.

The book has also been positively reviewed elsewhere. ‘De Lange convincingly demonstrates how European imperialism arose in part from the fight against piracy,’ according to Dutch newspaper NRC. 

The book Verdriet van Tilburg (The Sorrow of Tilburg), about the history of the textile industry, has also been nominated. The author is the UU alumnus Maarten van Riel, who describes the decline of the industry based on the experiences of his grandfather, who was a textile worker in the city.

The winner of the Libris History Prize will be announced on October 26 during a broadcast of the radio programme OVT. Those who correctly predict the winner on the Libris website will have a chance to win all five nominated books.