Seven top books that show real working-class life

Kerry Hudson was born in Aberdeen. Her first novel, Tony Hogan Bought Me an Ice-cream Float Before He Stole My Ma was published in 2012 by Chatto & Windus (Penguin Random House) and was the winner of the Scottish First Book Award while also being shortlisted for the Southbank Sky Arts Literature Award, Guardian First Book Award, Green Carnation Prize, Author’s Club First Novel Prize and the Polari First Book Award. Hudson’s second novel, Thirst, was published in 2014 by Chatto & Windus and won France’s most prestigious award for foreign fiction the Prix Femina Étranger. It was also shortlisted for the European Premio Strega in Italy. Her books are also available in the US (Penguin), France (Editions Philippe Rey), Italy (Minimum Fax) and Turkey.

Huson's new book is a work of nonfiction: Lowborn: Growing Up, Getting Away and Returning to Britain’s Poorest Towns.

At the Guardian the author tagged seven books that show real working-class life, including:

Rainbow Rowell’s young adult novel Eleanor & Park is another example. This tender, joyful love story, with a heroine from the wrong side of the tracks, abounds with hope for adults and young people alike.

Read about more entries on the list.

Eleanor & Park is among Melissa Albert's top five books for fans of The Fault in Our Stars.

--Marshal Zeringue