Why people recommend it
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart is a deeply moving and gritty debut novel following a young boy growing up in 1980s Glasgow amidst poverty and his mother's struggles with alcoholism. The book received significant attention on The Book Review podcast, where Alexandra Alter discussed it during a July 2024 episode. Alter shared that the novel had quickly risen to the top of her reading list because it was a prominent finalist for both the Booker Prize and the National Book Award, describing it as a long and thoroughly absorbing read. In a subsequent episode on the same date, Alter returned to announce the official news that Douglas Stuart had won the Booker Prize for this heavily favored debut work. Additionally, MJ Franklin mentioned the novel on The Book Review while discussing Young Mungo, praising Stuart's previous masterpiece as both beautiful and devastating.
Who recommended it
- Alexandra Alter Discussed
- MJ Franklin Discussed
Alexandra Alter — 2 mentions
“I just finished a book that had been on my radar but became Rose quickly to the top of the list because it's a finalist for both the booker and the national book award and that's Douglas Stewart's suy Bane and it's long and it's absorbing”
“so the winner this year is Douglas Stewart for his debut novel shooky Bane which I think was probably heavily favored to win”
MJ Franklin — 1 mention
“it's by Douglas Stewart who you may know as the author of shuggy Bane which was beautiful and devastating”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I have John of John by Douglas Stuart. You might recognize that name because he is also the Booker Prize winning author of Shuggie Bain.”