Sundial Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year First Round Winners

Four of Scotland’s finest writers have each won a £5,000 prize in the judging for the Sundial Scottish Arts Council Book Awards in the categories of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and first book.

One of these four will be awarded the overall title of Sundial Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year; an accolade which will net the author a total prize of £25,000.

A total of seventeen titles were shortlisted in four categories. The winners are:

• Fiction - Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith (Canongate)
• Non-fiction - The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane (Granta Books)
• Poetry - A Book of Lives by Edwin Morgan (Carcanet Press)
• First book - Morocco Rococo by Jane McKie (Cinnamon Press)

The difficult job of sifting through the shortlist was down to a distinguished judging panel comprising writer and broadcaster Janice Galloway; Professor of Literature, literary critic and poet Rory Watson; Reader Development Officer at the Scottish Poetry Library Lilias Fraser; and Dr Gavin Wallace, Scottish Arts Council Head of Literature, who chaired the judging process in a non-voting capacity. 

Fiction - Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith (Canongate)

Ali Smith’s re-mix of Ovid’s most joyful metamorphosis is a story about the kind of fluidity that can’t be bottled and sold.

Judging panel member Janice Galloway commented: 'This category was a tough call for the judges – that Ali Smith’s delightfully reframed telling of the Myth of Iphis won through pays huge tribute to the lacy transparency, sprint-runner pace, sexy fluidity and rigorously deceptive simplicity of its prose. Frothy and packed with unexpected after-kick, Girl meets Boy's blend of heart, head and spirit is a splendid distillation.'

Non-fiction - The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane (Granta)

Robert Macfarlane’s book starts by asking the question – are there any genuinely wild places left in Britain and Ireland? Or have we tarmacked, farmed and built ourselves out of wildness?  In The Wild Places, Macfarlane embarks on a series of beautifully described journeys in search of the wildness that remains, visiting locations such as Rannoch Moor, the Strathnaver broch and the Isle of Raasay.

Judging panel member Rory Watson commented: 'Robert Macfarlane's Wild Places offers a different delight with its journeys to discover 'wildness' in the remote and not so remote parts of Britain. This beautiful book takes us to tree tops, beaches and mountains, to reflect on memory and meaning, along with those who have known remoteness too (George Orwell, Ivor Gurney, Sorley MacLean and many others) as we rediscover a world of animals, forests, stones, feathers and stars in the company of a supremely lyrical writer.'

On hearing of his win Robert Macfarlane commented: "I'm absolutely delighted to have won this award; Scotland and the Scottish landscape have been my main subject for as long as I've been writing. To have this recognition from the Scottish Arts Council means a great deal to me."

Poetry - A Book of Lives by Edwin Morgan (Carcanet Press)

The latest collection from Scotland’s National Poet, A Book of Lives draws together the themes that inform Morgan’s world with poems both profound and witty.

Judging panel member Rory Watson commented: '. . . ‘the Universe goes from door to door begging for questions. It hates a sullen tongue' writes Edwin Morgan in A Book of Lives, and he more than rises to the challenge in this lively, deep, rambunctious and moving collection of poems. 'I have been right through life like an arrow' he says and then takes us with him in a memorable journey of love and sadness, energy and sheer delight. This is a collection to take your breath away in one minute and to shout for joy the next.'

First book - Morocco Rococo by Jane McKie (Cinnamon Press)

Jane McKie’s first published collection of poetry takes the reader on journeys through landscapes both exotic and familiar, covering a range of subjects and contexts which are vividly brought to life on the page.

Hearing of her award Jane commented: 'I am both surprised and delighted to win the First Book category with Morocco Rococo.  I had no idea it was even being considered.  It means the world to me as a writer, especially at this comparatively early stage when it's so easy to lose confidence.  Actually, it's one of the most wonderful and encouraging surprises I've had!'
 
Judging Panel member Lilias Fraser commented: ‘Jane McKie’s poems talk about travel and journeys, and what makes us appreciate the special and the exotic. I thought at first that her style was all about cool restraint, but it’s the restraint that creates her most breathtakingly sensuous, subtle, bewitching poems.’

The Awards, organised by the Scottish Arts Council since the 1970s, have gone from strength to strength, reflecting the growing prominence and prestige of Scottish literature. One of these titles will be announced as this year’s overall Sundial Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year at an award ceremony hosted by Rory Bremner on 20 June at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose.

The Awards are sponsored by Sundial Properties, Scotland’s leading restoring developer. William Gray Muir, Managing Director of Sundial Properties said: 'It is great to see the evidence of another vintage year for Scottish literature.  The Borders Book Festival will be a marvellous place to see the work of all of the finalists celebrated.  That said, I’m very relieved that the job of picking winners is entirely given over to the excellent judging panel!'

Notes to editors

1. More information on the Sundial Scottish Arts Council Book Awards can be found at: www.scottisharts.org.uk/bookawards
2. The Scottish Arts Council is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) which was established by Royal Charter in 1994 and is also a Lottery distributor. The organisation serves the people of Scotland by fostering arts of excellence through investment, development, research and advocacy. Our corporate aims are: to support artists to fulfil their creative and business potential; to increase participation in the arts; and to place the arts, culture and creativity at the heart of learning. We invest £60m each year, including £15 million of National Lottery funding. For more information visit: www.scottisharts.org.uk
3. The Sundial Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year award ceremony will take place on the evening of 20 June 2008 at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose.
4. The move to the Borders marks the beginning of a programme which will roll out the Awards nationally in partnership with Scotland’s growing number of dynamic book festivals on a rotating basis.
5. The Borders Book Festival takes place in Melrose from 19 – 22 June. For more information visit www.bordersbookfestival.org  A full programme of events will be available from 9 April 2008.
6. The Awards are kindly supported by Sundial Properties. Sundial is Scotland’s leading restoring developer of listed buildings, with a track record stretching back for more than 30 years. The company is family owned and managed.

Contact email(s)

media.office@scottisharts.org.uk

Issued by: Scottish Arts Council