The 2019 Highland Book Prize has been awarded collectively to the four shortlisted authors as “a celebration of life, literature and community”.
The Frayed Atlantic Edge: A Historian’s Journey from Shetland to the Channel by David Gange, Surfacing by Kathleen Jamie, Spring by Ali Smith, and Moder Dy by Roseanne Watt were all recognised at the request of the authors.
The winner was to have been announced at the Ullapool Book Festival last month only for its cancellation to be forced by coronavirus.
In a joint statement following the announcement at the weekend, the authors said: “We were all delighted and honoured to be shortlisted for the Highland Book Prize.
“We have enjoyed the excitement and the publicity and were all very disappointed the Ullapool Book Festival had to be cancelled, along with so much else.
“We are living in extraordinary times, and to reflect this, the four shortlisted authors have decided we’d like to be awarded the prize together and equally as a collective – as a celebration of life, literature and community.”
The authors donated the £1,000 prize money to the Highland Food Bank.
Alex Ogilvie, Highland Book Prize judge and trustee of the Highland Society of London, said: “This is a wonderful decision by the authors – on the one hand reminding us that in this time of crisis, we need to stand together and act together and, on the other hand, ensuring the prize money is donated to those who really need it.
“I want to thank all of the volunteer readers, authors, publishers, bookshops and many others who have participated in the 2019 Highland Book Prize process.”
