Reading the World discussion

I have read this book and reviewed:

Overall impression: Fantastic, heart-breaking, well-written. Felt that these characters were IN MY LIFE; like I knew them and for Shuggie and Agnes, rooting for them.

Winner of the Man Booker, Shuggie Bain is one of the saddest books I have ever read. It evoked emotional reactions in me over and over.

The book starts with Shuggie as an adult. Chapter 2 reverts to his life at the age of 7. The last chapter sees Shuggie once more as an adult.

The setting is Glasgow Scotland. Shuggie's mother Agnes, is married to a womanizer, Big Shug. She has two other children, Catherine and Leek, by her first marriage to a Catholic, Brendan McGowan. Big Shug Bain is a Protestant. This difference sets up the dichotomy between the two beliefs, a theme throughout the book.

The real crux of the story is the alcoholism of Agnes and what effects it has on her and her family.

(view spoiler) to view spoiler go to https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I am not sorry that I read this book as it really had me thinking about poverty, alcoholism, and the taunting of Shuggie, who is effeminate. I am very thankful that I read this book as a book club choice. The discussion on Monday night should be POWERFUL.

5 stars

A powerfully told story of alcoholism and co-dependency between Agnes and her sons Leek and Shuggie that includes an in-depth view on the overall economic conditions of working class Glasgow at a time when the mines and manufacturing were shutting down. The story is so well told but at no point are we given any sense of real relief or hope as we view the trajectory of our character's lives between 1981 and 1992. Agnes is a proud and beautiful women who thirsts for adventure and a touch more life than simply being a housewife and mother to a good but boring man. One feels how desperate she is in every proud action while her son Shuggie, who is seen to be effeminate ("poofter") from his earliest years tries equally hard to help her find a cure, feeling as if it is his fault that she is going down and it is his job to keep her afloat. In addition, Shuggie is incapable of reining in his inner self in and therefore projects not being "normal" in a world where violence and a certain macho womanizing is seen as normal.
Over and over we see Shuggie work to be "enough" for his mother but ultimately he could never be enough.
Told in the dialect of Glasgow, the story is slow and a bit too long but powerful.
Also, in that there is a great deal of autobiography in this fictional account, the fact that the author grows up to be successful is at least a touch of hope...

Sounds great based on both of your reviews. I'm hoping to finish my tbr audio (Humboldt's Gift) for the 1001 group today, and then start listening to this one tomorrow.

Amanda wrote: "Sounds great based on both of your reviews. I'm hoping to finish my tbr audio (Humboldt's Gift) for the 1001 group today, and then start listening to this one tomorrow."

👍

I've just started this one and yes;its heart breaking and powerfully touching. Realism of many lives yet not often told.

Just finished last night and agree with everyone above, it was heart breaking and touching, and so well written.

Loved that the dialogue was written in Scot's English.

Agnes' story was so heart wrenching, perhaps most at the points where she is seeming to recover, as the beginning with Shuggie in the group house tells us her efforts are likely going to be in vain. She is unwell, and without the access to the support they clearly need, Shuggie is forced to grow up too soon, feel too responsible for his mother, and is drawn into the cycle of abuse and poverty.

That's not even getting into the extra layer of his gender-non-conforming behavior, and how that contributes to his abuse and feelings of shame and inadequacy. The book would have worked regardless, but it works even better when centering the type of boy who will never fit into the council estate culture to begin with.

One of the many things this book gets so right is how machismo/toxic masculinity is used as the last refuge of dignity for most men raised in desperate impoverished/working class environments. The masculinity itself may look different depending on the race, culture, or setting of the community, but in some way this is almost universal. Hell, I know so many rural North American Shug Bains. And then this becomes part of the cycle of abuse itself as young boys either adopt this persona to survive as well and take their anger out on others, or boys outside of it like shuggie are victimized harshly and sometimes don't survive.

Now, if this book was just one dimensional tragedy, it wouldn't have hit as well as it did. What really pops are those small but precious moments of love sitting there in between. The way the narrative invites us to consider what kind of mother Agnes could have been in better circumstances.

Great book. I gave it 5 stars.

Lots of great points, everyone. I will just add that ,at least from my own family's experience ,it was different to have the alcoholic be the woman/mother. Agnes and also Shuggie's female friend's mom at the end of the book. I seemed to pick up from my parents that both their dads had drinking problems so they pretty much abstained. My mom seemed to be a "shuggie" wanting to help/fix,cure and being concerned about outsider's opinions ,really all her life.

K wrote: "Lots of great points, everyone. I will just add that ,at least from my own family's experience ,it was different to have the alcoholic be the woman/mother. Agnes and also Shuggie's female friend's ..."
Thank you for sharing K. 😘