The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet is an historical fiction novel by British author David Mitchell published by Sceptre in 2010.

Jacob hopes to make his fortune working under Chief Vorstenbosch and the Dutch East India Company to pay for the dowry of his betrothed, Anna.

Jacob has sneaked a Psalter onto Dejima, and if discovered as a Christian, he will be deported at the least and executed at the worst due to Japan's anti-Christian laws.

Captain Penhaligon leads a crew of Englishmen in their attempt to take the trade route with Nagasaki for themselves (in response to the fall of the VOC on New Year's Day).

As the Dutchmen on Dejima, now led by De Zoet, refuse to submit to the English, the conflict escalates: Penhaligon orders his cannons to fire on Dejima to destroy the last existing Dutch colony, but stops at the last moment to spare De Zoet, whose bravery reminds him of his son who died in a similar manner.

Having earned Shiroyama's respect in the conflict, Jacob gives the magistrate the scroll listing the atrocities of the Shrine of Mount Shiranui.

[1] Small details, such as if people used shaving cream or not, could require much time so that a single sentence could take half a day to write.

"[1] Some of the events depicted in the novel are based on real history, such as HMS Phaeton's visit to the Dutch territory of Dejima and subsequent ritual suicide of Nagasaki Magistrate Matsudaira Yasuhide.

[2] The main character, Jacob de Zoet, bears some resemblance to the real-life Hendrik Doeff, who wrote a memoir about his time in Dejima.

The consensus says: "Mitchell’s new novel should be at minimum short-listed for the Man Booker this year; a wonderful historical fiction full of mystery and romance".