Douglas Stuart Reads From His Debut Novel Shuggie Bain
From Damian Barr's Literary Salon Podcast
Damian Barr’s Literary Salon tempts the world’s best writers to read exclusively from their latest greatest works and share their own personal stories. Star guests include Jojo Moyes, John Waters, Yaa Gyasi, Mary Beard, Diana Athill and Louis de Bernières—all in front of a live audience at leading glamorous locations world-wide. Our London home is the Savoy. Suave Salonnière Damian Barr is your host.
On this week’s episode, 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.
***
To listen to the rest of the episode, as well as the whole archive of Damian Barr’s Literary Salon, subscribe and listen on iTunes or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts.
Douglas Stuart was born and raised in Glasgow. After graduating from the Royal College of Art in London, he moved to New York City, where he began a career in fashion design. Shuggie Bain is his first novel.
