Magdalene Fellow Wins Prestigious Wenjin Book Award
Magdalene Life Fellow Professor James Raven (1990) has been awarded the esteemed 2025 Wenjin Book Award for The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book, a richly illustrated and globally-focused volume that explores the evolution of books from ancient to digital forms.
The Wenjin Book Awards are among China’s most significant literary honours, presented annually by the National Library of China. Now in its 20th year, the award recognises outstanding works that combine rigorous scholarship with accessibility for a broad readership. The prize is named after Wenjin Ge, a royal library from the Qing Dynasty located in present-day Hebei Province, which helped lay the foundations for the National Library of China.
Edited by Professor Raven, The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book brings together leading international scholars to trace the development of books across cultures and centuries. The volume features 14 original essays covering a wide range of formats, from clay tablets and parchment scrolls to printed newspapers and digital texts. It explores how books have been produced, distributed, and read, and how they have shaped—and been shaped by—social and technological change.
Originally published in English in 2022, the book was released in Chinese translation last year, broadening its impact and readership across new audiences.
Professor Raven is a Fellow of the British Academy and a senior member of both the English and History Faculties at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on book history, publishing, and literary culture.
The College congratulates Professor Raven on this distinguished recognition and his ongoing contributions to literary and historical scholarship.
