Reading the 20th Century discussion

Now we know Agnes Owens was born 100 years ago here’s a dedicated discussion


This link has some interesting information and a short video…..


https://thealasdairgrayarchive.org/th...

▴ The short film traces the life, work, and legacy of Scottish writer Agnes Owens, marking the centenary of her birth in 2026. It was written and narrated by The Agnes Owens Archive custodian Sorcha Dallas, with research by Laura MacDonald and editing/extra footage by Abby Carter. It includes clips from new oral history interviews with Owens' son John Crosbie, former editor at Polygon Peter Kravitz and friend Doreen Hopwood. Beginning in Milngavie, it presents Owens as a writer shaped by working-class life, whose fiction exposed power, resisted sentimentality, and centred overlooked voices. The film introduces a major new archive of her manuscripts and personal materials, revealing her disciplined, long-term commitment to writing. It then situates her life within the realities of labour, motherhood, and limited opportunity, showing how she wrote in fragments while raising seven children and working multiple jobs. Her later “discovery” through a 1970s writing group—supported by figures like Liz Lochhead, Alasdair Gray, and James Kelman—led to the publication of her first book, Gentlemen of the West (1984), though the film stresses she had long been developing her craft. The film highlights how her writing, grounded in everyday objects and material life, continues to inspire contemporary artists and creative responses. It concludes by challenging the idea of Owens as an “accidental writer,” instead presenting her as a deliberate and important literary voice—one whose work is now being rightfully restored to its place in Scottish literature.

Thanks for this, very inspiring. I am keen to read anything she has written, either the novellas nominated or whatever is becoming more easily available this year. Quite a celebration of her centenary going on.

This obituary gives a real idea of her personality and life.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituar...

Thanks both of you . I can feel the conception of an author spotlight read or at least a buddy reads or two .

I noticed that the literary agents for her estate also have William McIlvanney on their books . Has anyone read Docherty? (Embarrassing confession. I originally thought this was the biography of a certain football manager ...)

I'd be interested in an Agnes Owens buddy read too, subject to being able to get hold of a copy of whatever we choose. Bad Attitudes appeals, for sure.

How about anyone interested reads something by her, or more than one title, all in the same month, and then we have more of a general discussion about what we discover, and what we like and anything we’re less keen on?

I don’t know if this is what you had in mind Hester when you referred to an author spotlight read?

Hester wrote:


“I noticed that the literary agents for her estate also have William McIlvanney on their books . Has anyone read Docherty? ."

I have read his Laidlaw trilogy and they are excellent

Docherty is a great book.

Stephen wrote: "Docherty is a great book."


I have no doubt - he's a great writer based on my experience

All the republished Agnes Owens books will be available for £4.99 on kindle or e-book at the same price from the publisher....



https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GFV34NN...

https://birlinn.co.uk/contributor/agn...

Starting August 31 at 10.45pm BBC Sounds is serialising A Working Mother

Thanks Sonia!

Gosh . She's having a moment . Brilliant . Thanks

Here’s a link….


https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m003...