Stuart Kelly: Literary awards that Scotland must prize

Published on Sunday 6 December 2009 11:05

The great and the good of Scottish letters turned out for the Saltire Literary Awards on Monday, and for what would later transpire to be Mike Russell's swansong in the role of minister for culture (that makes ten ministers in ten years, and how galling to see the role described as a "ministerial comfort zone").

The Book of the Year went to Robert Crawford, right, for his excellent biography of Burns. In his acceptance speech he mentioned how Burns had railed against "a society that didn't honour poets". Oddly ironic words, given how poetry was unaccountably overlooked this year – despite the fact that there were major and profound collections by John Burnside, Roddy Lumsden and Richard Price, and a fabulous debut in JO Morgan's Natural Mechanical. There was a special Homecoming Prize this year, which went to Donald Worster's biography of John Muir. He graciously thanked all the people who had written in to correct his mistake about Mary, Queen of Scots. With the Homecoming brouhaha done and dusted, the cold light of day trickles over Scottish culture again: the government bailed out the Saltire Awards this year, but no sponsor is yet forthcoming for next year. It would be a disgrace if the legacy of Homecoming was the cessation of a major prize.

Decades of dedication

The next evening was the celebration for the completion of the Edinburgh edition of the Waverley Novels, 27 years in the making and a major contribution to Sir Walter Scott scholarship. If Santa's elves are listening, it's going for a knock-down 1,200 (1,400 usually). The editors needn't be too melancholic – there are still 12 volumes of poetry and the 28 volumes of "Miscellaneous Prose Works" (including his nine-volume Life Of Napoleon) to be edited.

At long last

Signs of the End of the Age: for once, some good news. Sales in celebrity memoirs – such as A Whole New World by Jordan, right, soon to be followed by Another Whole New World – are down 30 per cent. And in keeping with our New Austerity, BBC4 is ditching the bustles and perukes in favour of adaptations of DH Lawrence and John Braine.

This article was first published in Scotland on Sunday on December 6, 2009