John of John

John of John has the emotional range and sense of sympathy of his earlier books, but this book is special, it has an urgency, an immediacy, a brilliant sense of place, the drama of fierce emotion repressed, concealed and volcanically exposed. – Colm Tóibín, author of Long IslandTo read John of John is to move to the Isle of Harris and take up residence in the family croft. The novel is so immersive, so all-encompassing, that I felt like I was living in it. Douglas Stuart has written something brilliant and rare – Ann Patchett, author of Tom LakeSet against the stark beauty of the Hebrides, where the landscape, in all its colour and texture, is as alive and commanding as its people … No one crafts characters with the depth and precision of Stuart—John of John is a masterpiece – Elaine Feeney, author of Let Me Go Mad in My Own WayJohn of John is a fierce, glorious sting of a novel. Douglas Stuart has somehow lifted the rocky, windswept landscape of the Scottish Western Isles—as well as its externally stark and thwarted, if internally blazing, characters—and replicated both with utter flawlessness on the page. What an astonishing feat of literary fiction – Lauren Groff, author of The Vaster WildsDouglas Stuart explores the visible and invisible chains of love forged between a parent and child — as each grapples with his respective faith and complex humanity. Stuart’s characters yearn and yield tenderly as they struggle with fate and free will. The inimitable world of John of John is passionate, liberating, and gorgeous – Min Jin Lee, author of Free Food for Millionaires and Pachinko, finalist for the National Book AwardJohn of John is Douglas Stuart’s finest novel yet, and that is saying something … he infuses his narrative with an authentic understanding of the essence of Hebridean identity; he creates a novel that has the grandeur of classical literature but the readability and relatability of a contemporary masterpiece … Epic and intimate, this is the kind of novel that enlarges your very capacity for empathy – Kevin MacNeil author of The Stornoway WayBreathtaking, life affirming, transcendent storytelling. John of John shows Stuart to be a true and abiding talent – Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Dance TreeA wonderfully gifted writer * The Guardian *Stuart has cemented his status as a vital new voice for the working class * Independent *Douglas Stuart has a rare gift … A major literary talent * The Spectator *An enthralling writer * The Herald *Smart and sympathetic to everyone in its beautifully-realised world, John of John is literary fiction at its best. * The Telegraph *A tender yet fierce story of fathers and sons, secrets and silence, from the author of Shuggie Bain * Observer *It’s evocative, devastating and full of heart, with Stuart’s signature way of making you want to read a single sentence again and again * Elle *

Douglas Stuart was born and raised in Glasgow. After graduating from the Royal College of Art, he moved to New York, where he began a career in fashion design. Shuggie Bain, his first novel, won the Booker Prize and both ‘Debut of the Year’ and ‘Book of the Year’ at the British Book Awards. It was also shortlisted for the US National Book Award for Fiction, among many other awards. His second novel, Young Mungo, was a number one Sunday Times Bestseller. His short stories have appeared in The New Yorker and his essay on gender, anxiety and class was published by Lit Hub.