A Scots author’s blow-by-blow account of the Iranian embassy siege in London has been nominated as one of 2024’s best books.
Ben Macintyre’s The Siege has been named of the shortlist for the Waterstones Book of the Year, putting it in the running for a prize previously won by Philip Pullman, Maggie O’Farrell to Charlie Mackesy, Paul McCartney and Katherine Rundell.
Historian Mr Macintyre, from Argyll, wrote much of the book in rural seclusion of Knappdale – where he has penned other bestsellers including Colditz, Agent Sonya, SAS: Rogue Heroes, and A Spy Among Friends.
The Iranian Embassy siege took place from 30 April to 5 May 1980, after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy on Prince's Gate in South Kensington, London.
The gunmen, Iranian Arabs campaigning for sovereignty of Khuzestan Province, took 26 people hostage, including embassy staff, several visitors, and a police officer who had been guarding the embassy.
They demanded the release of prisoners in Khuzestan and their own safe passage out of the United Kingdom.
Mr Macintyre said: “I am so thrilled to be shortlisted for Book Of The Year: Waterstones has been a rock of enthusiastic support for this book, and I could not be more grateful.”
He added: “I watched the storming of the Iranian embassy siege in 1980 live on television as a teenager; ever since, I have wanted to know what really happened. This book is the fulfilment of a lifetime ambition."
The siege of the embassy came to a dramatic end on the sixth day, when a unit of the SAS stormed the building by abseiling from its roof and entering through the windows.
Due to the presence of news cameras outside the embassy, the raid was shown live on television and became a defining moment of British broadcasting.
During the raid the terrorists managed to kill one hostage and seriously wounded two others, before all but one were killed by the SAS.
He was jailed for life in the aftermath, but was released in 2008 to live in London as it was unsafe for him to return to Iran.
The Siege is joined on the shortlist by 14 other books, including Sally Rooney’s hugely anticipated latest novel, Intermezzo, Ferdia Lennon’s Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize winning, Glorious Exploits, TV presenter and historian Alice Loxton’s Eighteen and publishing sensation Holly Jackson’s The Reappearance of Rachel Price.
The title named Waterstones Book of the Year 2024 will receive the full and committed backing of Waterstones shops and booksellers across the UK, as well as support online and through its loyalty card programme, Waterstones Plus, which reaches over a million readers.
November is shaping up to be a good month for Scottish writers at the major High Street bookseller.
Murder at Holly House, the latest novel from Campbeltown-based author Denzil Meyrick, has been chosen as Waterstones’ Thriller of the Month.
The pick is a considerable success for Mr Meyrick, who began his writing career with an independent Scottish publisher and has now gained national recognition, selling 8,500 hardbacks in just two months.
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Bea Carvalho, Waterstones Head of Books said: “We are delighted to unveil the shortlist for Waterstones Book of the Year 2024, as voted for by booksellers.
“These fifteen books showcase a stellar year for publishing across genres, with new books from some of the biggest and most beloved authors at work today alongside dazzling new discoveries and word-of-mouth bestsellers.
“Here, booksellers champion books which shift perspectives on well-known histories and classic works of literature as well as insightful novels which skewer the glorious messiness of contemporary real life.”
He added: “We also celebrate mysteries which grip with pure page-turning brilliance, and stunning odes to the natural world which honour the joy to be found in nature, or in our bonds with animals.
“There is something for readers of all tastes and ages to pore over here: we cannot wait to share these wonderful books with readers everywhere.”
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