Scottish-American author Douglas Stuart wins 2020 Booker Prize for debut novel ‘Shuggie Bain’
The writer dedicated the award to his mother, who battled alcohol addiction and died when he was 16.
Scottish-American author Douglas Stuart on Thursday won the 2020 Booker Prize for his debut novel Shuggie Bain. Stuart is the second Scot to have won the literary award, according to Reuters.
Stuart’s book is based on his own childhood experience. It follows a young boy growing up in Glasgow, with a mother fighting addiction. Stuart’s mother, who battled alcoholism, died when he was 16.
The writer dedicated the award to his mother. “I think I’ve been clear that my mother is in every page of this book and without her I wouldn’t be here and my work wouldn’t be here,” he said at the virtual award ceremony, according to Reuters.
The winner of The 2020 Booker Prize is @Doug_D_Stuart with his debut novel, Shuggie Bain! Follow the link to hear the winner interview now: https://t.co/T5QkjZPnYb #2020BookerPrize @picadorbooks @panmacmillan pic.twitter.com/aWgQkwyBMe
— The Booker Prizes (@TheBookerPrizes) November 19, 2020
Stuart said he wanted to write about what it was like growing up with a parent “who you love but you couldn’t save”.
Publisher and editor Margaret Busby, who chaired the judges of the award, said that Stuart’s novel was destined to be a classic, according to AP.
Indian-origin author Avni Doshi had also been nominated for the award for her novel Burnt Sugar. Other nominees included American author Diane Cook for The New Wilderness, Zimbabwean novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga for This Mournable Body, American-Ethiopian writer Maaza Mengiste for The Shadow King and American author Brandon Taylor for Real Life.
