Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s former first minister, has voiced her hopes that more political leaders would read Irish author Paul Lynch’s Booker Prize-winning novel Prophet Song. This sentiment is not limited to Lynch’s book alone, as Sturgeon also expressed her wish that more political leaders in general read fiction as a way to broaden their perspective. Prophet Song tells the story of a mother of four who is struggling to keep her family together under a tyrannical government after her husband is taken away by the newly formed Irish secret police.
Sturgeon highlighted the relevance of the novel’s themes to the present day, citing the way in which a character’s decision to get on a boat resonates with the current discourse on immigration in the country. She emphasized that the novel serves as a “wake-up call to all of us” to recognize the humanity behind the issues that are often sensationalized in the media. Sturgeon’s love for books is well-documented, and she believes that reading fiction can help political leaders develop a deeper understanding of the human experience.
During the interview with Lynch at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Sturgeon pointed out that one of the novel’s strengths lies in its ability to make the reader feel a sense of familiarity with the characters, despite the narrative being set in a fictional world. She noted that the protagonist’s struggles are deeply relatable, and that the novel serves as a reminder of the importance of empathy and compassion.
Nicola Sturgeon (Image via Getty)
Lynch himself explained that the novel’s omission of explicit political explanations was a deliberate choice, aiming to focus on the mythic aspects of the story instead. He believes that the book’s themes of war, wretchedness, and the inescapability of human suffering are universal and timeless, and that the lack of specificity allows readers to project their own experiences onto the narrative.
Prophet Song is Lynch’s fifth novel, and his win at the 2023 Booker Prize is a testament to the power of his storytelling. Sturgeon’s endorsement of the novel as a must-read for political leaders serves as a timely reminder of the importance of empathy, understanding, and compassion in the face of adversity.
