Why read John of John?

Book cover of John of John

Book description

LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE • AN OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK • AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“This excavation of family, violence and shame is woven through with beautiful imagistic detail, and—unexpectedly—shades of hope. We loved the rich, textural detail of the story.”—The Booker Prize 2026 judges

“Douglas Stuart…

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Why read it?

1 author picked John of John as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Michael C. White

Author

Set in the small Scottish Outer Hebrides Island of Lewis and Harris, John of John was written by Douglas Stewart, author of the Booker Award-winning Shuggie Bain.

While both novels deal with difficulties of being gay and poor in small Scottish towns, Shuggie Bain focused on a gay child's relationship with his mother while John of John takes as its central relationship and major conflict a young gay man dealing with his highly religious father. There's a significant irony in this relationship, one I will leave unmentioned as it's a spoiler.

The character of John and his son Cal…

From Michael's 3 favorite reads in 2026.