The 2021 John Nicholas Brown Prize for best first book in medieval studies was unanimously awarded by the selection committee to Professor David I. Shyovitz for A Remembrance of His Wonders: Nature and the Supernatural in Medieval Ashkenaz.
Shyovitz is a Professor of the Department of History and the Director of the Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies. He researches life in medieval Europe, focusing on Jewish life and relationship to other cultures.
Syovitz’s novel follows the livelihood of Jews during the 12th and 13th centuries and disputes the long-held notion that Jews of the time were not interested in the real world, only in the supernatural. It is an investigation into their worldview and daily habits in comparison to those around them during the time.
See more about the John Nicholas Brown Prize.