Award History
| Award | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|
| James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction | 2018 | Winner |
About This Book
Olivia Laing's debut novel is a formally radical work written in real time during the summer of 2017, narrated by a character called Kathy — who is both Laing herself and the late writer Kathy Acker. As Kathy prepares for her wedding and absorbs the unravelling political world (Brexit, Trump, the refugee crisis), the novel blurs autobiography, fiction, and appropriation. It won the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction in 2018.
About the Author
Olivia Laing is a British writer and critic born in 1977, known for nonfiction that blends cultural history, biography, and personal essay. She studied English and Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. Her books include To the River (2011), a walk along the Ouse; The Trip to Echo Spring (2013), about alcoholism and writing; The Lonely City (2016), about loneliness and urban art; and Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency (2020). Read more →
