100 Best Scottish Books of All Time

This Thursday, to coincide with World Book Day, culture minister Patricia Ferguson will begin the hunt. At a glittering ceremony, the minister will unveil a guide compiled with the Scottish Book Trust and the List magazine to the 100 Best Scottish Books of All Time and invite the public to start voting for their favourite work from the list.

But the campaign has run into controversy just days before it has begun after a draft list obtained by Scotland On Sunday shows a number of peculiar omissions and inclusions.

The winner will be announced at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August but if you think the arguments will end there, forget it – with only one book allowed per author, the tome in question might not even be on Maley’s list. Who’s to say that Welsh’s Marabou Stork Nightmares won’t be preferred to Trainspotting? And who can discount the Harry Potter factor? Barry Didcock Says There could be a few red faces in Charlotte Square come August.