James Kelman (born in Glasgow) is an influential writer of novels, short stories, plays and political essays. His novel A Disaffection was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction in 1989. Kelman won the 1994 Booker Prize with How late it was, how late and aroused something of a controversy in doing so: one of the judges, Rabbi Julia Neuberger, called the book 'a disgrace' when it was announced that Kelman had won. In 1998 Kelman was awarded the Scotland on Sunday/Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Award.