We are beginning the next round of reading in our online literary group, the Mother of All Book Clubs! This club is open to anyone with a connection to Mary Washington–alumni, parents, donors, faculty, and staff. Join us!
Our next selection is Shuggie Bain, by Douglas Stuart. This book is a national bestseller and was a finalist for the National Book Award.
From Amazon: Shuggie Bain is the unforgettable story of young Hugh “Shuggie” Bain, a sweet and lonely boy who spends his 1980s childhood in run-down public housing in Glasgow, Scotland. Thatcher’s policies have put husbands and sons out of work, and the city’s notorious drugs epidemic is waiting in the wings. Shuggie’s mother Agnes walks a wayward path: she is Shuggie’s guiding light but a burden for him and his siblings. Agnes’s older children find their own ways to get a safe distance from their mother, abandoning Shuggie to care for her as she swings between alcoholic binges and sobriety.
A heartbreaking story of addiction, sexuality, and love, Shuggie Bain is an epic portrayal of a working-class family that is rarely seen in fiction… [I]t is a blistering debut by a brilliant novelist who has a powerful and important story to tell.
Pick up a copy of the book and start reading–we will begin posting discussion questions on Monday, April 18. You might consider supporting an independent bookstore, or you could try your local library system.
We look forward to reading with you!
All the best,
The Alumni Relations Team
