We’re so thrilled to feature Douglas Stuart (an Observer debut novelist to watch for in 2020) as a Salon Exclusive! Enjoy the world premiere of Shuggie Bain, the unforgettable story of a sweet and lonely boy who spends his 1980s childhood in the run-down public housing of Glasgow. Thatcher’s policies have put husbands and sons out of work, and the city’s notorious drugs epidemic is waiting in the wings. Shuggie’s mother, Agnes, walks a wayward path: she’s Shuggie’s guiding light but also a burden for him and his siblings as she finds increasing solace in drink, draining away the lion’s share of each week’s benefits. Shuggie is meanwhile struggling to somehow become the normal boy he desperately longs to be as it becomes evident he’s hiding a secret. A story of addiction, sexuality, and love, Shuggie Bain is an epic portrayal of a working-class family rarely seen in fiction.

Shuggie Bain is published by Picador on 6th August 2020 in the UK and is available to pre-order now from all good bookshops. And it’s available now in the US. A perfect book to order or read during Pride Month!

Podcast edited by Megan Bay Dorman

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