'Most unusual book' wins Walter Scott historical fiction prize

'Most unusual book' wins Walter Scott historical fiction prize13 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleWalter Scott Book PrizeAlice Jolly took the prize for historical fiction for her book The Matchbox GirlA book which judges said "may be the most unusual book you read this year" has won the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.Alice Jolly's work The Matchbox Girl tells the story of Adelheid Brunner - a mute autistic patient of Dr Hans Asperger in the now-infamous Vienna Children's Hospital during the 1930s, while the city is under Nazi occupation.Jolly received her prize from Walter Scott's great-great-great-great grandson, Matthew Maxwell Scott, at a ceremony at the Borders Book Festival near Melrose.The prize, run by the Abbotsford Trust, is now in its 17th year and past editions have been won by Sebastian Barry, Robert Harris, Andrea Levy and Hilary Mantel. More stories from South ScotlandListen to news for the Scottish Borders on BBC SoundsJudges praised the "originality, innovation, ambition" of Jolly's work which "confronts a topic of immense complexity in a gripping tour de force"."The Matchbox Girl may be the most unusual book you read this year," they said."For its honesty, power and storytelling dexterity, our 2026 winner will also be one of the most important."Jolly was part of the first ever all-British shortlist for the award.Speaking of writing the book, she said: "I remain constantly troubled by that age of old question as to how people who were certainly not wholly 'evil' nevertheless found themselves drawn into appalling crimes."In 2018, two non-fiction books about the history of autism were published which told wildly differing stories about Dr Asperger."My book started with the simple question – who was Dr Asperger?".Dr Asperger is known for his work in child psychiatry and identifying Asperger syndrome, a form of autism, in...