Anne Brown Essay Prize shortlist is revealed

Share The 10-strong shortlist has been revealed for the fifth annual Anne Brown Essay Prize for Scotland – run by Wigtown Festival Company in partnership with The Herald. Wigtown CEO Isla Rosser-Owen looks at this year's entries. The Anne Brown Essay Prize celebrates excellence in non-fiction writing. The subjects under scrutiny are remarkable in their breadth and imagination. As one of our judges, poet, essayist and critic Gerry Cambridge observed: 'It is terrific to see writing which encompasses everything from the extremities of fighting in Afghanistan and other foreign conflicts, family tragedy or the Holocaust, to the gentler realities of Scottish 'diddling' – traditional mouth music.' Our other judge, journalist, presenter and writer Zara Janjua, commented on some of the qualities that make the essays in general, and the Anne Brown Prize in particular, so distinctive and special. She said: 'The best essays don't simply tell you something you didn't know; they make you look again at something you thought you did. I've loved the range of voices, subjects and ideas in this year's entries, and particularly the freedom of a prize that essentially says: tell us what fascinates you and make us care about it too.' The finalists are: • A Place With a Name. Sukhada Tatke recalls the journey to marry her French husband, navigating tensions between love, bureaucracy, nationality and belonging against the backdrop of the Indian elections. • Bield, Stephen Stewart. A former soldier who witnessed atrocities in Afghanistan explores the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on his life, both emotional and physical. • Borrowed Memories, Iain Houston. An exploration of the writer's experience visiting Holocaust sites in Poland and the emotional burden of confronting historical suffering. • Crunch, Jemma Neville. The apple tree is a symbol of care, continuity and hope. The author reflects on motherhood, childhood, migration and humanity's relationship with nature, connecting the tree's history to cultivation and changing climates. • Notes on an Unfinished Memoir, HL Ronnie. After her mother was murdered during childhood, the author wrote a 50,000-word memoir hoping to find connection and catharsis. In a true-crime culture filled with media intrusion, can publicly sharing a traumatic past bring healing? • One Handful of Earth, Kenny Farquharson. A moving photo essay looking at the theme of belonging through a small-town Scottish folk festival, celebrating the traditions, music, language and community of rural north-east Scotland. • Panning for Gold, Eve Livingston. Gold panning in Scotland is far more than a hunt for wealth: it is a pursuit that connects people with nature, adventure and one another. • Speaking Animal. Polly Clark looks at how encounters with animals have shaped her understanding of attention, compassion, communication and writing. Her experiences range from caring for an orangutan at Edinburgh Zoo to refusing to abandon a beloved rabbit. • The City of Disappearing Women, Viktoriia Grivina. A Ukrainian writer returns from Scotland to war-torn Kharkiv, where she searches for female literary figures who can help her understand her city and herself. • When Did the War Begin? Esa Aldegheri. While making pancakes for her children in Scotland, the author reflects on the bombing of Lebanon's Litani River and connects it with memories of her Italian grandfather whose life was shaped by two world wars. The £1,500 prize, plus trophy, will be presented at a special ceremony at Bladnoch Distillery during the Wigtown Book Festival (September 25 to October 4). An extract of the winning entry will be printed in The Herald, and the entire essay will be available online. www.wigtownbookfestival.comShare Get involved with the news