A poetry collection about witchcraft which traces historic atrocities, and celebrates the lives of those accused of witchcraft with empathy, tenderness and rage has won Scottish Poetry Book of the Year 2022 in Scotland's National Book Awards. Claire Askew was presented with the award for her second collection How to burn a woman at a ceremony in Edinburgh hosted by the Saltire Society.

Judges Patrick Corbett, Hugh McMillan, Dr Anne Pia and Dr Ian Spring said: “The central theme of the book is the historical persecution of women and men during the witch-hunts of the 16th century onwards, and this historic context is approached with great sensitivity, comprehension and creativity. However, there is more than this: Scottish topics include the loneliness of the Loch Ness Monster, the Fife wizard Michael Scot, whisky, red kites and Waverley station. A book full of carefully crafted poems that connect the past with the present and raise intriguing questions about the way we live and have lived.”