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The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

Longlisted for the Booker Prize
By David Mitchell
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4.03 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell is a historical novel set at the turn of the 19th century. It follows Jacob de Zoet, a Dutch clerk, as he navigates the complexities of life and trade on the isolated Japanese island of Dejima. Amidst cultural clashes and political intrigue, Jacob is drawn into unexpected challenges and personal entanglements that test his loyalty and resolve.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by historical fiction set at the dawn of the 19th century in Japan. It beautifully weaves intense personal stories with rich historical context and a touch of mysticism. With its compelling characters and vivid settings, it may captivate readers who appreciate intricate storytelling and complex cultural exchanges.

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Shortlisted for the James Tait Black Memorial and Commonwealth Writers' Prizes

Shortlisted for the James Tait Black Memorial and Commonwealth Writers' Prizes

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller, from the author of CLOUD ATLAS and THE BONE CLOCKS. Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2010

In your hands is 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.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell has received high praise for its ambitious and brilliant narrative, with reviewers noting its originality and impressive storytelling. Critics highlight its richly detailed setting and skillful prose, describing it as a suspenseful tale filled with humanity and historical accuracy. The book's remarkable depth and engaging characters have led some to call it a potential winner of prestigious literary awards. Overall, it is regarded as a tour de force in contemporary fiction.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780340921586

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 March 2011

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Sceptre

Illustration: 7 B&W

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 393g

Pages: 560

Collections

David Mitchell Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction

About the Author

Born in 1969, David Mitchell grew up in Worcestershire. After graduating from Kent University, he taught English in Japan, where he wrote his first novel, Ghostwritten. Published in 1999, it was awarded the Mail on Sunday John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award. His second novel, number9dream, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and in 2003, David Mitchell was selected as one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists. His third novel, Cloud Atlas, was shortlisted for six awards including the Man Booker Prize, and adapted for film in 2012. It was followed by Black Swan Green, shortlisted for the Costa Novel of the Year Award, and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, which was a No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller. Both were also longlisted for the Booker.

In 2013, The Reason I Jump: One Boy's Voice From the Silence of Autism by Naoki Higashida was published in a translation from the Japanese by David Mitchell and KA Yoshida. David Mitchell's sixth novel is The Bone Clocks (Sceptre, 2014).

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