Sarah Bernstein, John Burnside and Jackie Kay shortlisted for Scotland’s National Book Awards

Books by Sarah Bernstein, John Burnside and Jackie Kay have been shortlisted for The Saltire Society’s Scotland’s National Book Awards.

The awards celebrate talent across fiction, non-fiction, first book, poetry and research.

This year’s Fiction Book of the Year Shortlist comprises five titles written by women living in Scotland. Bernstein has been shortlisted for Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein (Granta), alongside Ajay Close, in the running for What Doesn’t Kill Us (Saraband), and Carys Davies, who is on the list with Clear (Granta). Margaret Elphinstone has been shortlisted for Lost People (Wild Goose), while Anbara Salam is on the list for Hazardous Spirits (Baskerville).

The First Book of the Year, sponsored by Creative Scotland, identifies rising stars as their talent continues to develop. The shortlist features Fragile Animals by Genevieve Jagger (404 Ink), Remember, Remember by Elle Machray (HarperNorth) and The Old Haunts by Allan Radcliffe (Fairlight Books). Jen Stout’s non-fiction book, Night Train to Odesa (Birlinn), is also featured on this shortlist, alongside Nuala Watt’s The Department of Work and Pensions Assesses a Jade Fish (Blue Diode Press).

This year’s five-strong shortlist for Non-Fiction Book of the Year features Thunderclap by Laura Cumming (Chatto and Windus), The Unfamiliar: A Queer Motherhood Memoir by Kirsty Logan (Virago) and Already Too Late by Carl MacDougall (Luath Press).

Also on this list is John Niven with O Brother (Canongate Books), as well as Nicholas Shakespeare with the book Ian Fleming: The Complete Man by Nicholas Shakespeare (Harvill Secker).

Meanwhile, the Poetry Book of the Year shortlist boasts John Burnside – a previous winner of Book of the Year Award – for Ruin, Blossom by John Burnside (Jonathan Cape), and former National Makar Jackie Kay – also a previous winner of the First Book Award – for May Day (Pan Macmillan).

The new Edinburgh Makar Michael Pedersen and previous Poetry Book of the Year winner Janette Ayachi are also on the poetry shortlist, for The Cat Prince: & Other Poems (Corsair) and QuickFire, Slow Burning (Pavilion Poetry), respectively.

Also highlighted are emerging talents Marjorie Lotfi, shortlisted for The Wrong Person to Ask (Bloodaxe Books), and K Patrick, vying for the prize with Three Births (Granta).

Mairi Kidd, the director of The Saltire Society, said: “This year’s shortlists showcase the dazzling variety of work coming out of Scotland today. We very much hope that readers in Scotland and further afield will enjoy exploring the shortlists and will join us via livestream in November as we announce the winners, plus Scotland’s overall Book of the Year.”

The winners in each category will be announced on Thursday 28th November, along with the overall Book of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award.