The best-written Scottish novel of the century

Plus Ryan O'Connor on prose style

Welcome to the 1500 new subscribers who’ve signed up in the past month, thanks to the readers recommending and otherwise promoting Auraist.

Gift a friend a subscription to the only publication set up solely to champion beautiful writing:

COMING SOON:

—The best-written books of the year and century to date, by the best writers and literary Substackers.

—Julian Evans and Nina Shuyler answer our new questions on prose style.

IN TODAY’S ISSUE

—‘Ye saw their sails and how the boat was tipping right over till it was going to capsize but it did not, it was just picking up speed because the wind was there and it was good, so they were all sailing great and the boys all shouting, and the men too. Go on Go on, Hold there’: the best-written previous winner of the Saltire Award for the Scottish book of the year (this choice is part of our project to identify the best-written books of the century). This year’s winner will be announced on the 7th of December.

—‘in the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed a…