Shuggie BainShuggie Bain
Score Modern
What it's about
Glasgow in the 1980s, as Thatcher's policies close the mines and factories and the city sinks into poverty. Young Hugh "Shuggie" Bain is a gentle, different boy who idolizes his glamorous mother Agnes, who dreams of a better life but is losing herself to alcohol. As his father leaves and his older siblings escape, Shuggie is left alone trying, with a child's devotion, to save her.
Why it's worth reading
It's devastating and full of love, a portrait of addiction and loyalty written with extraordinary tenderness, and it won the Booker Prize as a debut. Agnes and Shuggie are impossible to forget.
You'll love it if you liked
The Great Believers
A Little Life
Demon CopperheadGood to know
It's bleak in places, with alcoholism, poverty, sexual violence and homophobic bullying. The Glaswegian dialogue takes a little getting used to.
By the numbers
- Readers90 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics77 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller53 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz14 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #6 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #29 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #59 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Douglas Stuart
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Quick answers
Is Shuggie Bain worth reading?
Yes. It's devastating and full of love, a portrait of addiction and loyalty written with extraordinary tenderness, and it won the Booker Prize as a debut. It ranks #59 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 88.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Shuggie Bain about?
Glasgow in the 1980s, as Thatcher's policies close the mines and factories and the city sinks into poverty. Young Hugh "Shuggie" Bain is a gentle, different boy who idolizes his glamorous mother Agnes, who dreams of a better life but is losing herself to alcohol. As his father leaves and his older siblings escape, Shuggie is left alone trying, with a child's devotion, to save her.
How long does it take to read Shuggie Bain?
About 11 hours (448 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Shuggie Bain won?
Booker Prize winner (2020).
What should I read after Shuggie Bain?
If you liked it, try The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara or Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.