The Old Haunts
Shortlisted for Scotland's National Book Awards and the McKitterick Prize
Published on 22. December 2023
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-1-914148-63-7 (ISBN)
Description
Shortlisted for Scotland's National Book Awards and McKitterick Prize 2024
'Each and every sentence has been so elegantly penned' -The Scots Magazine
'So gentle, so warm, so human' -Rick O'Shea
'There is much to admire... from the elegance and economy of the writing to the understanding of the emotional difficulties of its young protagonist' -The Scotsman
Recently bereaved Jamie is staying at a rural steading in the heart of Scotland with his actor boyfriend Alex. The sudden loss of both of Jamie's parents hangs like a shadow over the trip. In his grief, Jamie finds himself sifting through bittersweet memories, from his working-class upbringing in Edinburgh to his bohemian twenties in London, with a growing awareness of his sexuality threaded through these formative years. In the present, when Alex is called away to an audition, Jamie can no longer avoid the pull of the past: haunted by an inescapable failure to share his full self with his parents, he must confront his unresolved feelings towards them.
In spare, evocative prose, Allan Radcliffe tells a wistful coming-of-age story and paints a tender portrait of grief in all its complexities.
'Each and every sentence has been so elegantly penned' -The Scots Magazine
'So gentle, so warm, so human' -Rick O'Shea
'There is much to admire... from the elegance and economy of the writing to the understanding of the emotional difficulties of its young protagonist' -The Scotsman
Recently bereaved Jamie is staying at a rural steading in the heart of Scotland with his actor boyfriend Alex. The sudden loss of both of Jamie's parents hangs like a shadow over the trip. In his grief, Jamie finds himself sifting through bittersweet memories, from his working-class upbringing in Edinburgh to his bohemian twenties in London, with a growing awareness of his sexuality threaded through these formative years. In the present, when Alex is called away to an audition, Jamie can no longer avoid the pull of the past: haunted by an inescapable failure to share his full self with his parents, he must confront his unresolved feelings towards them.
In spare, evocative prose, Allan Radcliffe tells a wistful coming-of-age story and paints a tender portrait of grief in all its complexities.
Reviews / Votes
'Equally heart-warming and sorrowful. Each and every sentence has been so elegantly penned' -The Scots Magazine'Written with an honesty and understanding that is rare, it's a novel full of love, kindness, and compassion' -Skinny Magazine
'A rippling, multifaceted jewel of a novel - Poignant and compelling, it is resonant with vivid images' -Kevin MacNeil, author of The Brilliant & Forever
'Allan Radcliffe's debut touched my heart. Both insightful and observant, warm and infinitely relatable' -Henry Fry, author of First Time for Everything
'This poignant Bildungsroman is at once a tender tale of queer awakening in the Edinburgh of the 80s and 90s and a heartbreaking love letter' -Mary Paulson-Ellis, bestselling author of The Other Mrs Walker, The Inheritance of Solomon Farthing and Emily Noble's Disgrace
'I fell in love with Allan Radcliffe's The Old Haunts... So gentle, so warm, so human' -Rick O'Shea
'There is much to admire in this debut novel, from the elegance and economy of the writing to the understanding of the emotional difficulties faced by its young protagonist' -The Scotsman
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
ISBN-13
978-1-914148-63-7 (9781914148637)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Allan Radcliffe is a multi award winning and shortlisted author from Scotland. His writing has won the Allen Wright Award and the Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award and his debut novel The Old Haunts was shortlisted for both Scotland's National Book Awards and the McKitterick Prize in 2024.
His short stories have been published in anthologies including Out There, The Best Gay Short Stories and New Writing Scotland, and broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
With an MA from the University of Glasgow, Allan Radcliffe works as an arts journalist and editor, and is currently a freelance theatre critic and feature writer. He was born in Perth, Scotland, and now lives near Edinburgh.
His short stories have been published in anthologies including Out There, The Best Gay Short Stories and New Writing Scotland, and broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
With an MA from the University of Glasgow, Allan Radcliffe works as an arts journalist and editor, and is currently a freelance theatre critic and feature writer. He was born in Perth, Scotland, and now lives near Edinburgh.