Academic win for 2014 Saltire Literary Awards
Published On Thu 13 Nov 2014 by Roddy Isles
An exhaustive piece of academic research co-authored by history Professors Bob Harris of Oxford University and the late Charles McKean of Dundee University has beaten off stiff competition from an array of new and established names in contemporary Scottish literature to claim the 2014 Saltire Book of the Year Award, sponsored by Creative Scotland.
Winning book “The Scottish Town in the Age of Enlightenment 1740-1820” explores how Scotland’s eighteenth century burghs improved themselves and the significance of this for modern understanding of a society in a state of transition.
Described by the judging panel as ‘magisterial’ and considered ‘a pioneering study of Scottish urbanisation’, the book was the product of an extensive three-year research project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. It also won the 2014 Saltire Society Scottish Research Book of the Year award, supported by the National Library of Scotland. Professor Bob Harris collected both awards and an accompanying cash prize of £10,000 at a special ceremony at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh on Tuesday evening (11 November 2014).
Other writers shortlisted for the prestigious award this year included well-known broadcasters Sally Magnusson and Kirsty Wark as well as new writing talents such as Niall Campbell and Kirsty Logan and established Scottish writers and past winners including A L Kennedy and Martin MacIntyre.
Now firmly established as Scotland’s most prestigious annual book awards, the Saltire Literary Awards have been supported this year by an expanded list of partners and sponsors including Creative Scotland, the Scottish Poetry Library, the Scottish Historical Review Trust and Tamdhu Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Professor McKean, Emeritus Professor of Scottish Architectural History at the University of Dundee, died last year at the age of 67. He was the foremost authority on Scottish architectural history, and his distinguished career also saw him appointed architecture correspondent for The Times newspaper and Chair of UNESCO Edinburgh World Heritage Trust.
He was appointed Head of the School of Architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (part of the University of Dundee) in 1995, before taking up his position as Professor of Scottish Architectural History in the University’s History department in 1997.
Professor McKean was a passionate advocate of preserving Dundee’s architectural history and led hundreds of walking tours of the city over the past two decades. He was awarded an Honorary Stephen Fry Award by the University in 2012 for his life time achievements in engaging the public with his research in Scottish architectural history
Commenting on winning the Book of the Year Award, Professor Bob Harris said, “To win this award in a country with such a rich tradition of writing, making and reading books is a huge honour, and also a wonderful way to mark the major contribution made by my co-author, Charles McKean, to understanding Scotland's very distinctive urban and architectural history.”
Executive Director of the Saltire Society Jim Tough said, “The Saltire Literary Awards have a proud history of celebrating and bringing wider attention to excellence in all literary forms. This year exemplifies that commitment. Scotland’s most prestigious literary awards became wider in scope and greater in impact through generous support from new sponsors Tamdhu Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Creative Scotland and the Scottish Historical Review Trust.
“The judging panels were deeply impressed by the quality and range of books that made it onto the 2014 shortlist. From poetry and plays to novels and non-fiction, extending the length and breadth of the country and far beyond, this year’s shortlist is a testament to the outstanding calibre of modern Scottish literature in all its varied forms.”
Notes to editors
About the Saltire Society
The Saltire Society seeks to encourage everything that might improve the quality of life in Scotland. It works to preserve all that is best in Scottish traditions and to encourage new developments which can strengthen and enrich the country’s cultural life. It acts as a catalyst, celebrant and commentator through an annual programme of awards, lectures, debates and projects. Founded in 1936 is a non-political independent charity with membership branches throughout Scotland.
Membership of the Saltire Society is open to all individuals and organisations that support the aims of the Society.
Background to the Awards
The Saltire Literary awards have long been regarded as the country’s most prestigious accolade for authors. We are proud to celebrate and support literary and academic excellence. And now, with a range of new partners and a refreshed style, this suite of awards truly reflects the commitment of civic Scotland to literature in all its forms.