Scottish novelist Douglas Stuart on the isolation of secret-keeping

In this episode of Fresh Air, host Terry Gross interviews Scottish novelist Douglas Stuart about his new novel, 'John of John,' which explores the emotional and psychological toll of secret-keeping in a conservative, isolated community in the Scottish Hebrides. The novel centers on Cal, a gay man returning to his rural island home after studying textiles in Glasgow, and his father, a devout deacon who is also secretly gay. Through their intertwined stories, Stuart examines the crushing weight of silence, the intersection of faith and sexuality, and the generational divide in how masculinity and identity are understood. Drawing from his own upbringing in working-class Glasgow—marked by poverty, maternal addiction, bullying, and a lack of queer visibility—Stuart reflects on how these experiences shaped his writing and worldview. He also discusses his journey from textile school to a 20-year career in fashion design at Calvin Klein and Banana Republic, where clothing became both a form of self-expression and a psychological shield. Ultimately, Stuart frames writing as an act of reclamation and integration, allowing him to reconcile the fractured parts of his past and present life.