Scotland's National Book Awards 2014 - Winners

Scottish Book of the Year Award supported by Creative Scotland
The Saltire Scottish Research Book of the Year Award supported by the National Library of Scotland

The Scottish Town in the Age of Enlightenment 1740-1820, Bob Harris & Charles McKean
Published by Edinburgh University Press

Other writers shortlisted for the prestigious award this year included well-known broadcasters Sally Magnusson and Kirsty Wark as well as new writing talents such as Niall Campbell and Kirsty Logan and established Scottish writers and past winners including A L Kennedy and Martin MacIntyre.

Now firmly established as Scotland’s most prestigious annual book awards, the Saltire Literary Awards have been supported this year by an expanded list of partners and sponsors including Creative Scotland, the Scottish Poetry Library, the Scottish Historical Review Trust and Tamdhu Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

The awards celebrate and support literary and academic excellence across six distinct categories with the winner of each of the five individual book categories going forward to be considered for the Saltire Book of the Year award.

Alongside the overall winner, a further five category winners were announced. Each individual book category winner received a £2,000 cash prize while the winner of the Publisher of the Year award received a £4,000 cash prize to support the ongoing development of their business:

The Scottish First Book of the Year Award
supported by Tamdhu Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Moontide, Niall Campbell
Published by Bloodaxe Books

A collection of verse from Edinburgh-based Niall Campbell and strongly influenced by his upbringing on the Western Isles

The Saltire Scottish History of the Year Award supported by the Scottish Historical Review Trust

Scottish Gods, Religion in the Modern Scotland 1900-2012, Steve Bruce
Published by Edinburgh University Press

By leading social historian Steve Bruce, exploring how religion in Scotland has become more varied over time  

The Saltire Scottish Literary Book of the Year Award (new for 2014)
supported by the Saltire Society

How to Be Both, Ali Smith
Published by Hamish Hamilton

A set of two novels which interpenetrate each other despite being set centuries apart, by Inverness-born writer and 1995 Saltire First Book of the Year award winner Ali Smith. The book was also shortlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize.

The Saltire Scottish Poetry Book of the Year Award (new for 2014)
supported by the Scottish Poetry Library & Creative Scotland

Bones and Breath, Alexander Hutchison
Published by Salt

A collection that savours the music and heft of language, including and especially Scots, written by Buckie-born and raised poet Alexander Hutchison.