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LITERARY

Panel  Results
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SCOTTISH LITERARY AWARDS

CALL FOR ENTRIES IN TO THE 2009 SALTIRE LITERARY AWARDS


SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE YEAR - £10,000

and
SCOTTISH FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR - £1,500

and in the Year of Homecoming 2009, books entered for the Book of the Year and the First Book
of the Year will also be eligible for entry to

THE SALTIRE HOMECOMING LITERARY AWARD - £1,500

The Saltire Society announces the arrangements for its literary awards in three categories: Scottish Book of the Year; Scottish First Book of the Year (by an author who has not previously published a book) and for 2009 only The Saltire Homecoming Literary Award. These awards may be given for any book by a living author of Scottish descent or living in Scotland, they may also be given for any book which deals with the work or life of a Scot - or with a Scottish question, event or situation. The book may be a novel, a play, poetry or other work of imaginative literature, biography, literary criticism or a study of any Scottish issue. Books of multiple authorship would not normally qualify.

The Results - The Awards Ceremony will be held at the National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh on St Andrew's Day, 30th November, 2009.

The selection procedure: The following are invited to recommend titles for consideration, which in their view merit consideration for the Award:- literary editors of newspapers, magazines and reviews concerned with literature, publishers of books, producers of book programmes in radio and television and other interested parties and for the 2009 Homecoming, the equivalent in the USA and Commonwealth countries. Panel members may also suggest books for consideration.

The Panel: Douglas Gifford (Convener), Allan Boyd, Ian Campbell, Ann Matheson, Joyce McMillan, David Robb, Marion Sinclair, Gaelic Advisor: Ian MacDonald. The Panel reserves the right to withhold the awards in any year when they consider that no book reaches the required standard.

Information for Publishers: Books published between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009 will be eligible for consideration. The last date for nominations is 4th September 2009. Ten copies are required from the publisher. Two further copies of books shortlisted for a prize may be required, for press and publicity purposes.

Copies of recommended books to: Sarah Mason, The Saltire Society, 9 Fountain Close, 22 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TF. sarah@saltiresociety.org.uk.

Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrates the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth and, through a programme of events, honours Scotland's contributions to the world: golf & whisky; plus our great minds and innovations as well as rich culture and heritage. The Saltire Homecoming Literary Award will be awarded to a book which best celebrates and reflects Scotland's Year of Homecoming in all its diversity. The winning book will, in the opinion of the judges, make an outstanding contribution to this year's celebrations, insofar as it shall discuss meaningfully and appropriately matters relevant to Scotland's Year of Homecoming. Publishers from the United States and Commonwealth countries are being invited to nominate also.










2008 WINNERS WERE ANNOUNCED AT A CEREMONY HELD ON
FRIDAY 28TH NOVEMBER AT
THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND

Literay Awards
James Kelman, winner of the Scottish Book of the Year with Linda Fabiani, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture.


SALTIRE SOCIETY SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE YEAR
was awarded to:
James Kelman Kieron Smith, Boy
Hamish Hamilton books


SALTIRE SOCIETY/ROYAL MAIL SCOTTISH FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR
was awarded to:
Andrew Nicoll The Good Mayor
Black and White Publishing Ltd.



2008 SCOTTISH HISTORICAL BOOK OF THE YEAR WAS AWARDED TO:

Alex Woolf From Pictland to Alba, 789 - 1070
Edinburgh University Press


2008 SCOTTISH RESEARCH BOOK OF THE YEAR WAS AWARDED TO:

Ian Duncan Scott's Shadow: The Novel in Romantic Edinburgh
Princeton University Press


Please click here for the 2008 Literary Awards press release.


Literay Awards
From left: Andrew Nicoll (winner of the Scottish First Book of the Year), Alex Woolf (winner of the Scottish History Book of the Year), Linda Fabiani (Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture) and James Kelman (winner of the Scottish Book of the Year).




2008 Shortlists

SALTIRE SOCIETY SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD


Meaghan Delahunt The Red Book Granta Books
Mick Imlah The Lost Leader faber and faber
James Kelman Kieron Smith, Boy Hamish Hamilton books
Martainn Mac an T-Saoir An Latha as Fhaide CLÀR
James Meek We Are Now Beginning Our Descent Canongate
Andrew O'Hagan The Atlantic Ocean faber and faber
Ali Smith Girl meets boy Canongate



SALTIRE SOCIETY/ROYAL MAIL SCOTTISH FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR

D C Jackson The Wall faber and faber
Simon Kövesi James Kelman Manchester University Press
Shona MacLean The Redemption of Alexander Seaton Quercus
Andrea McNicoll Moonshine in the Morning Alma Books
Andrew Nicoll The Good Mayor Black and White Publishing Ltd.
Elaine di Rollo The Peachgrowers' Almanac Chatto & Windus





The Saltire Society announces the arrangements for their literary awards in the two categories:

Scottish Book of the Year Award £5000
and
Scottish First Book of the Year Award £1500 (by an author who has not previously published a book).

They may be given for any book by an author or authors of Scottish descent
or living in Scotland, or for any book which deals with the work or life
of a Scot or with a Scottish question, event or situation
. The book might
be poetry, a novel, a play or other work of imaginative literature, or biography,
literary criticism or a study of any Scottish issue. Books of multiple authorship
would not normally qualify.

Please click here for the 2008 Literary Awards flyer.


The selection procedure: The Literary Editors of leading Scottish
newspapers and the editors of magazines and reviews in Scotland concerned
with literature, are invited to nominate titles for the Award
- up to 8th
September - which, in their view, merit consideration for the Award
from among the books reviewed in their pages during the preceding twelve
months. The producers of book programmes on Scottish radio and television,
book publishers and other interested parties are also invited to suggest titles.
The Panel also suggest books for consideration
.


 THE MEMBERS OF THE PANEL ARE:

Douglas Gifford (Convener)
Ian Campbell
Allan Boyd
Joyce MacMillan
Ann Matheson
Ian Macdonald (Gaelic adviser)
David Robb
Marion Sinclair

The Panel has the right to withhold the awards in any year when they consider that no book reaches the required standard.

Books published between 1st September, 2007 and 31st August, 2008 will be eligible for consideration for the 2008 Award.

The last date for nominations for the 2008 Literary Awards is September 2008.
Nominations to: Kathleen Munro, Administrator, The Saltire Society, 9 Fountain Close, 122 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TF



 

Scottish Literary Award

 
Year Award Author Title Publisher Sponsor
1995 £1500 - Best First Book Ali Smith Free Love Virago Post Office
1996 £5000 - Book of the Year William McIlvanney The Kiln Hodder & Stoughton The Scotsman
  £1500 - Best First Book Kate Clanchy Slattern Chatto & Windus Post Office
1997 £5000 - Book of the Year Bernard MacLaverty Grace Notes Jonathan Cape The Scotsman
  £1500 - Best First Book Robin Robertson A Painted Field Picador Post Office
1998 £5000 - Book of the Year Alan Warner The Sopranos Jonathan Cape The Scotsman
  £750 - Best First Book Christopher Wallace The Pied Piper’s Poison Flamingo Post Office
  £750 - Best First Book Dennis O’Donnell Two Clocks Ticking Curly Snake Post Office
1999 £5000 - Book of the Year George Bruce Pursuits SCP The Scotsman
  £1500 - Best First Book Michael Faber Some Rain Must Fall Canongate Post Office
2000 £5000 - Book of the Year Ronald Frame The Lantern Bearers Duckworth The Saltire Society
  £1500 - Best First Book Douglas Galbraith The Rising Sun Picador Post Office
  Commendation Hamish Henderson Collected Poems & Songs Curly Snake The Saltire Society
2001 £5000 - Book of the Year Liz Lochhead Medea Nick Hern Books The Saltire Society
  Best First Book Meaghan Delahunt In the Blue House Bloomsbury Post Office
2002 £5000 - Book of the Year Janice Galloway Clara Johnathan Cape Saltire Society
  £750 - First Book of the Year Liam McIlvanney Burns the Radical Tuckwell Saltire Society
  £750 - First Book of the Year Louise Welsh The Cutting Room Canongate Saltire Society
2003 £5000 - Book of the Year James Robertson Joseph Knight Fourth Estate Saltire Society
  £1500 - First Book of the Year Martainn Mac an t-Saoir Ath - Aithne Clar Royal Mail
  £5000 - Lifetime Achievement Award Edwin Morgan (portrait)
Robin Jenkins (£5000)
    Scottish Arts Council
2004 £5000 - Book of the Year Andrew Greig In Another Light Weidenfeld & Nicolson Faculty of Advocates
  £1500 - First Book of the Year Peter Hill Stargazing Canongate Books Royal Mail
2005 £5000 - Book of the Year Kate Atkinson Case Histories Doubleday Faculty of Advocates
  £1500 - First Book of the Year John Aberdein Amande's Bed Thirsty Books Royal Mail
2006 Book of the Year John Burnside A Lie About My Father Jonathan Cape Faculty of Advocates
  First Book of the Year Maggie Fergusson George Mackay Brown The Life John Murray Royal Mail
2007 Book of the Year A L Kennedy DAY Jonathan Cape Faculty of Advocates
  First Book of the Year Mark McNay Fresh - A Novel Cannongate Books Royal Mail
2008 Book of the Year James Kelman Kieron Smith, Boy Hamish Hamilton Books The Saltire Society
  First Book of the Year Andrew Nicoll The Good Mayor Black and White Publishing Royal Mail



Title: Kierson Smith, Boy
Author: James Kelman

In the old place the river was not far from our street. There was a park
and all different things in between. The park had a great pond with
paddleboats and people sailed model yachts. Ye caught fish in it too. Ye
caught them with poles that had wee nets tied at the end. But most people
did not have these. Ye just caught them with yer hands. Ye laid down on yer
front close into the edge on the ground. Here it sloped sharp into the water,
so ye did not go too close. Just yer shoulders reached that bit where the
slope started. Ye rolled up yer sleeves and put yer hands together and let
them go down it. Just slow, then touching the water and yer hands going in.
If ye went too fast ye went right in up yer arms over yer shoulders. Ye only
went a wee bit, a wee bit, a wee bit till yer hands were down as far. Then
yer palms up the way, holding together. If a fish came by ye saw it and just
waited till it came in close. If it just stayed there over yer hands, that
was how ye were waiting. It was just looking about. What was it going to do?
Oh be careful if ye do it too fast, if yer fingers just move and even it is
just the totiest wee bit. Its tail whished and it was away or else it did not
and stayed there, so if ye grabbed it and ye got it and it did not get away.
So that was you, ye caught one.


Reproduced by kind permission from Penguin.

The full first chapter can be read on Penguin's website by clicking Here





Title: DAY
Author: A L Kennedy

Alfred was growing a moustache.

An untrained oserver might think he was idling, at a loose end in the
countryside, but this wasn't the case. In fact, he was concentrating,
thinking his way through every bristle, making sure they would align
and be all right.

His progress so far was quite impressive: a respectable growth which
already suggested reliability and calm. There were disadvantages to him,
certain defects: the shortness, inelegant hands, possible thinning at his
crown, habit of swallowing words before they could leave him, habit of
looking mainly at the ground - and those few extra pounds at his waist, a
lack of condition - but he wasn't so terribly ugly, not such a bad lot.

Mainly his problem was tiredness - or more an irritation with his tiredness
- or more a tiredness that was caused by his irritation - or possibly both.
He could no longer tell.

It wasn't that he was awkward, or peculiar, quite the reverse: he was biddable
and sensible and ordinary, nothing more: but even an ordinary person could
sometimes have enough and get browned off and, for example, want to be offered,
every now and then, a choice.

That was only reasonable, wasn't it? A man had to imagine he'd got a chance
of freedom, a bit of space. The interval between alternatives, that gave you space.
But sometimes you would consider yourself and all you could see were obstructions
and you'd be amazed that you ever were able to leave your house - your bed,
never mind your house. You'd look in the mirror some mornings and wonder why
it didn't show; the way most of you was always yelling to get out.

Moustache or not moustache, that wouldn't change.

Reproduced by kind permission of The Random House Group Ltd.