Another year of the Booker Prize and another year where the result has utterly surprised me! But this time I am absolutely thrilled with the judges' decision. After closely following the International Booker Prize earlier this year and the book I liked least on the list “The Discomfort of Evening” won I lost confidence in my ability to predict Booker winners. Added to that was the fact that half of the main Booker Prize shortlist this year didn't work for me so I had resigned myself to the idea that the judges' tastes don't align with my own. So I held little hope that my two favourites on the list “Burnt Sugar” and “Shuggie Bain” held a chance of winning. But I was wrong. Douglas Stuart's debut novel has won!

This brilliantly moving book is based on Stuart's own experience of a Glasgow childhood marked by poverty and addiction. Yet it portrays both the environment and its people in such a warm-hearted and dynamic way that he's really brought this time period and region to life. Douglas Stuart also has the distinction of being the second Scot to ever win this prize. The first was James Kelman in 1994. Coincidentally, just earlier this week “Shuggie Bain” was also shortlisted for the National Book Awards but it lost out to “Interior Chinatown” by Charles Yu.

Since a physical ceremony wasn't possible this year, the announcement was made online in a “ceremony without walls” last night. I filmed a live reaction video to this and participated in a press interview with Stuart afterwards where I got to ask him a question. You can watch this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxu5dYhyQFY

It was wonderful to hear from chair of judges Margaret Busby that the judges' decision was unanimous. And it was also very exciting to hear that Stuart is almost finished completing his second novel also set in Glasgow which will be called “Loch Awe”.

Have you read “Shuggie Bain” or are you interested in reading it? What do you think of this year's result?