Douglas Stuart

Douglas Stuart grew up in Glasgow and now lives and works in New York. His autobiographical debut novel Shuggie Bain became one of the most successful literary debuts of recent years. It was shortlisted for, among others, the British Book Awards and the National Book Award, and went on to win the Booker Prize. His second novel, Young Mungo, was also an international bestseller.

About John, Son of John

Penniless and unemployed, John-Calum, known as Cal, returns to his childhood home after graduating from art school. There, he finds that little has changed, except himself.

Back on the windswept farm where he grew up, Cal reluctantly slips into his old life. He is caught between the two defining figures of his childhood: his father, John, a sheep farmer, tweed weaver and pillar of the local Presbyterian church, and his grandmother Ella, a sharp-tongued Glaswegian who has spent decades maintaining an uneasy peace with her son-in-law. Cal no longer feels he belongs in this world, while John resents his son's long hair and refusal to seek salvation through faith. As lambing season gives way to shearing, the fabric that holds the community together begins to unravel.