"The Highlands and Islands of Scotland: A New History" by Alistair Moffat is a beguiling book that succeeds beautifully in drawing its readers in and carrying them along. I have to admit to being biased. I'm fascinated by history and by the history of Scotland in particular. In reading Alistair Moffat's account of the story of the Highlands and Islands I found myself constantly asking what someone less invested in history would make of the book. The conclusion I came to was that this is one of those rare books that takes a fairly specialised subject and makes it available and accessible to a very wide audience: in Scotland and far beyond.
It's certainly a book I'd wholeheartedly recommend to anyone with any interest in the Highlands and Islands. The last history book I read that was this engaging was the late Magnus Magnusson's "Scotland: The Story of a Nation": and if that sounds like high praise, it is intended to.
The book takes a generally chronological approach to its subject. It weaves into the central strand of the story personal reflections of the author based on his own experiences together with modern snippets about finds that have helped illuminate sometimes murky areas of history. The end result is as far from the dry history books that some of the older amongst us might remember from school as it is possible to imagine.
You get a good sense of the book from the publisher's description of it: "Alistair Moffat tells the extraordinary story of the Highlands in the most detailed book ever written about this remarkable part of Scotland. The chronicle begins millions of years ago, with the dramatic geological events that formed the awe-inspiring yet beloved landscapes, followed by the arrival of hunter gatherers and the monumental achievements of prehistoric peoples in places like Skara Brae in Orkney. The story continues with the mysterious Picts; the arrival of the Romans as they expanded the boundaries of their huge empire; the coming of Christianity and the Gaelic language from Ireland; the Viking invasion and the establishment of the great Lordship of the Isles that lasted for three hundred years."
"The Highlands are perhaps best known as the key battleground in Bonnie Prince Charlie’s doomed attempt to restore the Stuart monarchy and its dreadful aftermath, which saw the suppression of the clans and the whole of Highland culture. This situation was exacerbated by the terrible Clearances of the nineteenth century which saw tens of thousands evicted from their native lands and forced to emigrate. But, after centuries of decline, the Highlands are being renewed, the land is coming alive once more, and the story ends on an upbeat note as the Highlands look forward to a future full of possibilities. While this is an epic history of a fascinating subject, Moffat also features the stories of individuals, the telling moments and the crucial details which enrich the human story and add context and colour to the saga of Scotland."
InformationHardcover: 528 pagesBirlinn Ltd birlinn.co.uk 6 June 2024 ISBN-10: 1780278578 ISBN-13: 978-1780278575 Size: 15.6 x 3.2 x 23.4 cm cm Buy from Amazon (paid link) Visit Bookshop Main Page |