The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
ABOUT
THE BOOK
Be transported to a place like no other: a tiny, man-made island in the bay of Nagasaki, for two hundred years the sole gateway between Japan and the West. Here, in the dying days of the 18th-century, a young Dutch clerk arrives to make his fortune. Instead he loses his heart. Step onto the streets of Dejima and mingle with scheming traders, spies, interpreters, servants and concubines as two cultures converge. In a tale of integrity and corruption, passion and power, the key is control – of riches and minds, and over death itself. (From Publisher)
NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS
This historical novel set in Japan in the 18th century, tells us the fascinating forbidden love story between Jacob de Zoet, who works for the Dutch East India Company and a Japanese woman- A masterful genre-busting historical novel which shows that a book can be both utterly profound and immensely entertaining – With unwavering empathy for the two heroes, this historical novel carries the reader to Japan in 1799, on a trading post where two civilisations meet, confront and plot… only through translators. Never choosing a side, the writer offers a complex fiction rather than the usual clichés – We are enthusiastic about this book for how it combines great narrative style with being also a novel of ideas, and for how it challenges the reader – Eloquently written story about an important historical period featuring authentic characters – This title was nominated for its exploration of intercultural relations, trust and betrayal, and racial and gender boundaries – The book is a one-stop wonder – great writing, characters and story – An engaging historical novel of exemplary literary merit concerning early Dutch trade in Japan – Mitchell brings a new perspective to the historical novel, managing to capture both the political and personal while providing us with a good story – An historical epic, lyrically composed of 19th century Japan, full of character, story, love and history.