Late poet John Burnside and Ukraine war reporter Jen Stout in running for Scotland's 'book of the year' prize

The Scottish poet John Burnside died earlier this year. Picture: Daniel Roland/AFP via Getty Images | Daniel Roland/AFP via Getty Images

Authors Andrew O'Hagan and Sara Sheridan, the late poets John Burnside and Aonghas MacNeacail, and Ukraine war reporter Jen Stout are among the contenders for Scotland’s annual “book of the year” honour.

Biographies of James Bond creator Ian Fleming and the 17th century Gaelic poet Mary Macleod are also in the running for the Saltire Society’s coveted prize.

Author and war reporter Jen Stout. Picture: Andrew Cawley | Andrew Cawley

Memoirs from the authors John Niven, Kirsty Logan, Laura Cumming and the late Carl MacDougall have also been recognised, along with the latest poetry collection from newly-appointed Edinburgh Makar Michael Pedersen.

The best fiction, non-fiction, debut books, research and poetry collections of the year will be recognised at the arts organisation's annual book awards in November, with the overall winner drawn from the winners in each category.

Writer Andrew O'Hagan. Picture: Jon Tonks/PA Wire

Scotland’s National Book Awards, which were previously known as the Saltire Society Literary Awards, date back to 1937 and are one of the oldest competitions of its kind in the UK.

Michael Pedersen is the new Edinburgh Makar.

Previous winners of the main award include Muriel Spark, Edwin Morgan, Alasdair Gray, William McIlvanney, Michel Faber, Kate Atkinson and Kathleen Jamie. Debut authors previously recognised include Ali Smith, Liam McIlvanney, Louise Welsh, Jackie Kay and A.L. Kennedy.

A new lifetime achievement award was instigated in 2019 and has been awarded to Alasdair Gray, Alexander McCall Smith, Douglas Dunn and Liz Lochhead.

Author Ajay Close.

All entrants must have been born in Scotland, live in Scotland or have written about Scotland in their book for it to be eligible for one of the awards.

Fiction book of the year nominees include A Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein, What Doesn't Kill Us by Ajay Close, Beethoven's Assassins by Andrew Crumey, Clear by Carys Davies, Lost People by Margaret Elphinstone, Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan, Deliver Me by Elle Nash, Hazardous Spirits by Anbara Salam, Secrets of Blythswood Square by Sara Sheridan and Catch the Moments as they Fly by Zoë Strachan.

Best non-fiction book contenders include More Richly in Earth: A Poet's Search for Mary MacLeod by Marilyn Bowering, Thunderclap by Laura Cumming, Night Vision by Pippa Goldschmidt, The Unfamiliar: A Queer Motherhood Memoir by Kirsty Logan, Already Too Late by Carl MacDougall, O Brother by John Niven, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man by Nicholas Shakespeare, Politics on the Edge by Rory Stewart, and Windswept: Life, Nature and Deep Time in the Scottish Highlands by Annie Worsley.

Best first book contenders include Dark Island by Daniel Aubrey, Mephistopheles by CD Boyland,

Fragile Animals by Genevieve Jagger, Remember, Remember by Elle Machray, The Dictionary People by Sarah Ogilvie, The Old Haunts by Allan Radcliffe, Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie, Night Train to Odesa by Jen Stout and The Department of Work and Pensions Assesses a Jade Fish by Nuala Watt.

Poets longlisted for their latest collections include Janette Ayachi, John Burnside, Jackie Kay, Iona Lee, William Letford, Marjorie Lotfi, Aonghas MacNeacail, K Patrick, Michael Pedersen, Rebecca Sharp, Shane Strachan and Em Strang.

Saltire Society director Mairi Kidd said: “We are delighted to publish these wonderfully vibrant Longlists that amply demonstrate the great breadth of quality writing happening in Scotland today.

"There is something here for every reader and we hope that book lovers across Scotland, the UK and indeed the wider world will be inspired to dip into these exciting works.”