Visiting Senior Research Fellow Joan Judge has been awarded the 2026 SHARP Book History Book Prize by the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing (SHARP) for The Politics of Common Reading: Vernacular Knowledge and Everyday Technics in China, 1894–1954 (University of Chicago Press, 2025). The jury praised the book for its innovative approach, extensive research, and new perspectives into the history of reading and print, describing it as a significant contribution to the field of book history.

The SHARP Book History Book Prize is an annual award that recognizes outstanding scholarly books that make significant contributions to the history of authorship, reading, and publishing.