THE firm which will publish Nicola Sturgeon’s memoir has been announced after the results of a nine-way bidding war.
Pan Macmillan won the rights to the book, which is due to be published in 2025, after what it described as “a hotly contested, nine-publisher auction”.
Sharing the news on Instagram, the former first minister said she would dedicate the book to her late uncle, journalist Iain Ferguson.
She wrote: “Very excited to be doing this. I've always had an ambition to write.
“It is slightly bitter sweet today, though, as I head to the funeral of my uncle, the journalist Iain Ferguson. This is something that I always hoped we might work together on some day.
“Instead, it will be a book I dedicate to him.”
The British and Commonwealth Rights to the memoir, which does not yet have a title, was acquired by Mike Harpley, Pan's nonfiction publishing director.
The amount paid for the rights has not been made public.
Sturgeon said: “I am thrilled to be working with Pan Macmillan, a globally renowned
publisher with proud Scottish roots. I have loved my life in politics but ever since I was a child I have harboured an ambition to write.
“Embarking on this book is therefore exciting, if also daunting.
“I aim to chronicle key events of the past three decades of Scottish and British politics and take the reader behind the scenes to describe how it felt to be 'in the room', who else was there, the relationships involved and how decisions were arrived at.
“I will talk about what I am proud of and be frank about my regrets. I will reflect on the challenges of being a woman in politics and reveal more about the person behind the politician. I will also draw on my 35 years of experience to offer some thoughts on the future of Scotland, the UK and democracy in general.”
And Harpley said: “As well as spending her career in frontline politics, Nicola is a lifelong avid reader, lover of literature and a keen supporter of bookshops and the wider book trade.
“As a result, it is no surprise that the extracts she has already written are notable for their wit, honesty, and excellent writing. We are very much looking forward to working With her on this book.”
A press release from Pan Macmillan stated: “Nicola Sturgeon's memoir will chart how she went from being a shy child from a working-class family in Ayrshire to the steps of Bute House as Scotland's first female and longest serving first minister.
“It will detail her interactions with a range of notable figures, giving her unique perspective on the most eventful and tumultuous era in modern Scottish and British politics. She will cover all the important events and debates of her time, including the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, the SNP's election to government, the Scottish independence referendum, Brexit, Covid and much more.
“The result will be a deeply personal and revealing memoir from one of Britain' s most significant political leaders of recent times.”
