Product Description
A Short History of Scotland is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Andrew Lang is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Andrew Lang then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

scotland history
Good book but after the first half, it seems to drift too much into details. I wanted to read this book to get a brief history of Scotland but this book isnt brief at all. ... Read more

Product Description
"The Scots," said a censorious English member of Parliament in 1607, "have not suffered above two kings to die in their beds these two hundred years." He may have exaggerated, but undeniably Scotland has a rough and bloodstained history. It is a complex one too, but Sir Fitzroy Maclean disentangles the threads and enlivens his brisk account with both wit and scholarship. Pictures from authentic contemporary sources illuminate his story--its romantic figures and bloody battles, its politics and religion--and provide a rich visual record of Scotland's art, craftsmanship, and intellectual life. For this revised edition, the distinguished journalist Magnus Linklater (former editor of The Scotsman), explores the renewed strengths of Scottish identity as the country enters the new millennium with a new parliament. 250 b/w illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Scotland history done easy
This book is a very friendly way to get into the history of Scotland without having to scour through an unwieldy tome.Having just visited Scotland for the first time, this blossomed the bit of history one inevitably picks up on a trip, made sites I had visited more vivid.The written word is accompanied by very well picked photos of sites and artifacts.A great way to learn more about Scottish history than what we remember from school about Mary Queen of Scots and what we learned from the movie Braveheart.

Still get lost in the details
Scottish history is confusing.So many cross currents, and then there's the frequent overlapping of Scottish and English royalty, plus the French connection.The book has lots of detail and interesting illustrations, but it would be nice if he would step back at times and talk more about the larger context, the big issues, and fit events and people into them more clearly.There are pro-royal and anti-royal factions, but it isn't always made clear whether it is Scottish or English royalty that is being discussed. I'm going to Scotland soon, so maybe seeing the places will help clear up the confusion.

Good Service and great book!
I was happy to see my book arrive before the expected delivery date.:)We look forward to using it when we tour Scotland in July.Thanks!

Introducing Scotland...
Scotland's political history is a long, complex, and fascinating tale, in which generations of Scotsmen have contended with successive waves of Irish, Roman, Viking, and English visitors for control of the rugged North of Britain.Fitzroy MacLean, former liaison from Churchill to Tito in Yugoslavia during the Second World War, wide-ranging diplomat in the Cold War, and a proud Scotsman, has penned an elegantly "Concise History of Scotland" for the general reader.First published in 1970 and periodically updated since, it is an excellent and lavishly illustrated introduction to Scotland.

In the opening chapter, MacLean steps rapidly through Scottish pre-history, the Romans, the Vikings, and the first rulers of a united Scotland.The second chapter is perhaps the heart of the story.Dynastic struggles over the Scottish crown draw in English intervention.These years are dominated by Scotland's efforts to forge an independent identity.In later chapters, the union of England and Scotland changes the latter's destiny forever.To this day, Scotland is a distinctive part of the United Kingdom, whose sons and daughters have contributed much to the common welfare, whether as soldiers, poets, explorers, inventors, or industrialists.Scotland's heritage as embodied in the clans, the kilts, and the castles form a tradition that continues to draw both visitors and academic interest.

Inevitably, MacLean's short book passes over much that might be of interest about Scotland, especially items outside the political realm.However, MacLean's concise narrative holds up extremely well as a reading experience, and is therefore highly recommended to those general readers looking for an introduction to Scotland.

Scotland: A Concise History
I purchased this book for my 18 year old granddaughter. She has just taken an interest in her Scottish heritage. I found it to be an excellent choice, easy to read with alot of really good pictures. I will see how well she likes it after Christmas. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a history that is equally entertaining and enlightening, illustrating all of the changes of power and intricacies that are necessary to understand the interrelation between England and Scotland and the Highland and Lowland populations. It shows how Duncan (1034-40) emerged from 'the union of the four people' as the first king of a united Scotland and provides detailed, reign-by-reign accounts from then on. Above all Professor Mackie reveals how the Scots long pursued an independent line - in religion, law, culture and foreign policy - that helped them keep at bay the Romans, the French and the English. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

a bit stilted
history reads as if it were written for Scotchmen exclusively.Not enough bio data on figures that are introduced so there is no grounding .....also,I never fail to marvel at how many histories invariably allude to their first settlers encountering the "indigenous" people.Who are these people and how did they get there?How much of what they were transferred culturally?Geography tells us much about behaviour but is rarely considered when compiling pre-histories.

A very well-written history...
This is simply put one of the best places to start an inquiry into Scottish history.

Allowing the comments of one of the other reviewers, this book might not answer EVERY question that one might have regarding all of the specifics of Scots history. As in any book that sets out to tell the whole history of a people in under five hundred pages, there are omissions and a little of opaquenesses. Setting this aside, both the original author and the updaters of this book have done a remarkable job putting together a history that is equally entertaining and enlightening. This book DOES do an adequate job illustrating all of the changes of power and intricacies that are necessary to understand the interrelation between England and Scotland and the Highland and Lowland populations. It is fair which is important. And it is just a fun read.....

Beyond this, obviously, this book raises additional questions regarding the history of Scotland that must be answered by additional reading. But, then again, this is a book that as an intitiation, makes one want to read more.

I highly recommend this book....

History of Scotland
The book is full of history and appears balanced in view but has far too many references to things not documented.For someone who knows nothing about British royalty, Scots history and geography this is not the place tostart.

There are many confusing references.I had troubleunderstanding what and who Argyle is, why you spell Stewart/Stuart two wayswith seemingly interchangable spellings, and many many royalty/titlerelated terms that are confusing (duke/earl/baron etc. what's thedifference?). A glossary would help.Otherwise, keep a dictionary and agood map handy.

Also the successions and following who murdered whomneeds more diagrams and what diagrams and maps there are should all beredrawn for clarity.

A captivating history of Scotland and its people.
This book is written as more of a story of Scotland than a history.It iswell developed, interesting, captivating and exciting.Probably the finesthistory book I've ever read.Gives an incredible overview of Scotland, andexplains why those Scots who have become expats love their country despiteall of the problems they have had (Highland clearances).For anyone whohas been to Scotland this is a great way to learn so much about thecountry, and their courageous and proud people.I recommend this veryhighly.An enthralling book to read. ... Read more

Product Description

A vivid, wide-ranging, and engrossing account ofScotland's history, composed of timeless stories by thosewho experienced it first-hand. Contributors range fromTacitus, Mary, Queen of Scots, and Oliver Cromwell toAdam Smith, David Livingstone, and Billy Connolly.These include not only historic moments--fromBannockburn to the opening of the new parliamentin 1999--but also testimonies like that of the eightyear-old factory worker who was dangled by his earout of a third-floor window for making a mistake; thesurvivors of the 1746 Battle of Culloden, who wishedperhaps that they had died on the field; the breakthroughmoment for John Logie Baird, inventor oftelevision; and, the genesis of great works of literaturerecorded by Conan Doyle, Stevenson, and the editorof Encyclopaedia Britannica. From the battlefield tothe sports field, this is living, accessible history told bycrofters, criminals, servants, housewives, poets, journalists,nurses, politicians, prisoners, comedians, sportsmen,and many more.

Customer Reviews (5)

Scotland:The Autobiography
A good book.It arrived in excellent condition.Good book for the money.

EXCELLENT CHOICE and SERVICE
Good book.
Good price.
Good service and mailing
100% positive.
5 stars

Scotland:The Autobiography
I really love this book. It is informative, thorough, and it reads very easily. I have read it once and am on my second read. It goes from long long ago until recently. Amazing!

no worries
best place to place an order then put faith in the fact that they will ship the produt fast and safely to the person of whom you ordered for; Thank you

Wonderful read
I'm not a historian, but I love history and this book approaches the life of Scotland through the perspective of those who lived it.The author presents accounts covering the entire range of Scotland's history allowing the reader to see life, not just facts.Most interesting to me was the attempt to move past major battles and dry accounting of timeline events.This is an interesting and informative book for those wanting to know more about Scotland and her people. ... Read more

Product Description
In this sweeping chronicle, award-winning journalist John Macleod offers an insider's view of the Scottish Highlands, from the Stone Age to the present day. In this illuminating, wonderfully readable study, John Macleod unfolds the history of the land and people of the Scottish Highlands. From Mesolithic man, through the Celts, the Vikings, and the Lords of the Isles to the Stuart monarch, Macleod examines the terrible events following Culloden and the forced emigrations, the Evangelical Movement, and the Crofter's War. Bringing the story right up to date, he looks at the current decline of the Gaels and the struggle of the Highland people to redefine themselves in a changing world. John Macleod is the author of No Great Mischief If You Fall. 324 pp 5 x 8 16 pp b/w photos ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A Tough Place of Beauty...
John MacLeod's "Highlanders: A History of the Gaels" is popular history with a bite and an edge.MacLeod, a journalist by trade and a longtime resident of the Highlands, narrates the story of the Highlands from the pre-history of the Picts, Celts, and Norsemen through the Scottish dynastic wars of Robert the Bruce, the romanticism of the Stuarts, to Union with England and on into modern times.The prose is stylish, frank and familar rather than scholarly.If the Hebrides get rather much emphasis because the author hails from there, the extra details may be worth the trip to many readers.

As MacLeod relates, the Highlands are a place of much natural beauty, limited economic potential, and often incredibly poor luck in its leaders.The reader is left with the impression of a hardy population saddled with one well-intentioned absentee laird or landlord after another.The periodic mass out-migrations are heart-breaking to read about, but undoubtedly saved many Highlanders from miserable lives working overcrowded, economically marginal land.

MacLeod devotes much time to the evolution of a distinctive Gaelic culture, with its effects on patterns of worship, language, and culture.This topic might have merited its own book; MacLeod does it some justice here.

"Highlanders: A History of the Gaels" is an excellent and readable introduction to the topic, and highly recommended to those planning a visit or frightened off by the heft of more scholarly works.

An Absorbing History of the Highlanders
I am a highlander and Scottish romance fan (big time)Kathleen Givens and Marsha Canham are among my favorites and their work is well researched.Iwanted to have a history of the highlanders for background--and to understand my Scottish heritage better.I was prepared to slog through a dull history just to gain the knowledge.I was not prepared for an entertaining and fascinating look into the past of the highlanders.This is well worth a read no matter what your motivation.It's great history made relevant to us today.And, as an aside, I think this book should be a companion for Scottish romance books.It's that good.Kudos to the author who makes the history interesting and relevant...and shows us why there is sometimes sadness when we view today's Scotland.I've traveled Scotland and felt that sadness.If the proud Scots had been allowed to develop on their own and govern themselves, and the English had not destroyed a way of life, we might have an even richer Scotland today.Certainly we would have more of the castles left.I have both Scottish and English blood so I'm not speaking only as a Scot.But I do regret what might have been for Scotland.And for the romance readers, perhaps if so many English had not intermarried with the Scots, we'd have taller, more rugged Scottish men today..no?

Excellent Insight and Information
I found this book to be full of helpful and interesting facts and insights into a people I consider to be fascinating and inspiring.

Not worth the price!
The Gaelic songs printed at the beginning of the chapters are the best feature of the book. One of the few ways to learn about the Highlands of Scotland is through the Gaelic songs and poems of its people.

Macleod?s understanding of Gaelic society is limited indeed.

Statements such as ?Even more oddly, they had no institution of marriage? show the gaps in his understanding of the early historical period in Scotland. Among the first manuscripts written in Gaelic were law texts, which included passages on marriage (Kelly, A Guide to Early Irish Law). As Irish scholars frequently use Scottish sources in their work, those who study Gaelic Scotland should read about Gaelic Ireland as well.

?The autonomy of the Celtic Church did not long survive. There was now a determined campaign from Roman bishops, in England and elsewhere, to make these brethren submit to papal authority ? Scotland was now bordered to its very gates, by Roman Catholicism ? Above all, they (the ?Celtic? Church) acknowledged no head of the Church save ?Our Lord; in this they anticipated post-reformation Presbyterianism.?

Macleod?s anti-Catholicism has interfered with his understanding of the development of Christianity. Western Christianity for the first millenium of its existence was a confederation of churches; there was a Gallican (later Frankish) Church, a British Church (Welsh-speaking), an English Church, a Coptic Church, a 'Celtic' Church (Gaelic-speaking), a Roman Church etc. The pope as bishop of Rome had little temporal power in this period. The Celtic Church wasn?t an early Protestant church as he insists, but one of many which recognized the spiritual authority of the pope. (Hughes, The Church in Early Irish Society / Mayr-Harting, The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England / James Campbell, The Anglo-Saxons).

In the early 12th century David I granted land in Scotland to 1000 Anglo-Normans. Why the king ?thought in the English way? is better understood after reading Robert Bartlett?s ?The Making of Europe?. The impact of the introduction of feudalism to Gaelic Scotland is outlined in Grant and Cheape?s ?Periods in Highland History?.

Macleod makes generalizations such as ?Land was still worked by runrig, and this was a bad system.? Runrig was a communal method of farming marginal land which may be better understood by visiting Auchindrain(near Inverary, Scotland), a multiple-tenant farm until the 20th century and now a museum. The land was shared out and distributed and redistributed so that all shared good and bad land. This kind of farm, which supported a numerous tenantry (clansmen), ended with clearance from the interior of the Scottish Highlands and the creation of crowded crofting communities on the west coast whose major function was kelping (collection of seaweed for the chemical industry). When demand for kelp fell after the Napoleonic Wars and much of the ?surplus? population of the west coast was obliged to emigrate.

James Hunter?s ?Making of the Crofting Community? has not been superceded for an explanation of the changes to Gaelic society; that is, from the ?clan system? to the ?crofting community? and Allan MacInnes' "Clanship, Commerce and the House of Stuart 1603 - 1788" explains the changes already taking place in the earlier period.

?Though illiteracy was almost universal (in the Highlands)?? Illiteracy in the sixteenth century was high throughout Europe. Macleod ought to have described a unique class of educated Gaels, the poets (ollaimh, filidhean, is b?ird) who spoke a literary dialect of Gaelic common to Scotland and Ireland. For up to twenty years they studied the complicated rhyme schemes and the Gaelic myths and legends that shaped their art (Thomson, Introduction to Gaelic Poetry). The poets and musicians, particularly harpers, would go on a ?cuairt?, a journey to the houses of the gentry where they entertained the adults and acted as tutors to their children. Every chief worthy of the name had a collection of manuscripts including poems celebrating his family, for which they paid the learned men (Watson, Scottish Verse from the Book of the Dean of Lismore/? Baoill, Eachann Bacach and other MacLean Poets).

Macleod stereotypes people of German origin in an insulting way. ?He (the Duke of Cumberland) could not see the Highlanders as human at all; even his own soldiers were to him but fodder, to be advanced and moved and forfeited at his most German will. Cumberland was of that type who, two centuries later, in the name of order and racial hygiene, would cram Jews and Slavs and gypsies and homosexuals into the gas chambers?? The author seems to suggest that any German or person of German origin, who attains power over others, will turn into a Hitler.

About the Celtic languages he wrote, "The Celtic languages were already dividing from the P-Celtic root." P-Celtic (eg. Welsh) is not the parent of Q-Celtic (eg.Gaelic); Q-Celtic (Gaelic) is the more archaic form of the two language groups; that is, it resembles the parent Celtic language more than P-Celtic (Jackson, Language and History in Early Britain/Lockwood, Languages of the British Isles Past and Present).

Other readers have pointed out this author?s anti-Catholic bias and I have tried to point out some errors about language and history which render this book less worthwhile than others.

More books to consider instead:

Campbell, Orain nan Gaidheal (Songs of the Gael) bilingual
Devine, Clanship to Crofters? War
Lenman, The Jacobite Risings in Britain 1689 ? 1746
Munro, Highland Clans and Tartans
Shaw, The Northern and Western Islands of Scotland; Their Economy and Society in the 17th century

Islanders - A History of the Northern Hebrides
The author does give a good background on the Highlands in general in the early part of the book, but his focus is really on Lewis/Harris for the most part.This is a very personal popular history.There are good points and bad in that.The reader gets in-depth information about some cultural/local things that are probably not covered as well anywhere else (ie the Presbyterian factions vying for control of the souls of Northern Islanders).If these kinds of things do not stir you, you may be a little disappointed.I found some of this interesting.I was particularly moved by the story of the wreck of the Iolaire.I don't suppose it is a story that one would run across anywhere else.

As a good introduction to some of the larger issues, it serves well.The first part of the book is a good review of the various peoples and cultures that made up the Highlands.The crofting culture and the Clearances are treated well and the reader is pointed toward authors who can go into these subjects in greater depth ( ie James Hunter).

One very frustrating (for me) habit of the author is to quote other sources (Paul Johnson, John Prebble) without citing the work it is taken from either in the body of the text, in notes or even in the bibliography.

The author admits that he has "a strong bias towards traditional Highland Presbyterianism, and a corresponding disdain for rites Roman and Anglican."Those who wince at Catholics being called "Papists" and Catholicism generally ignored or disparaged, might do well to look elsewhere.The author does not mention, even in passing, the Penal Laws against Catholics, whereby practicing Catholicism became a treasonable offense (the first offense meant confiscation of all property, the second, banishment and the third, death) are not mentioned at all. This pogrom against Catholics in the 17th and 18th centuries is why Evangelicals in the 19th century could come in to fill a religious vacuum.

I recommend this book, but would urge that it not be the only work you read on the Highlands.John Prebble's books are great reading.I have thoroughly enjoyed his accounts of Glencoe and Culloden.I continue to look for an overview of the Highlands and Islands that is more scholarly and balanced. ... Read more

Product Description
Scotland is one of the oldest countries in the world with a vivid and diverse past. Yet the stories and figures that dominate Scottish history - tales of failure, submission, thwarted ambition and tragedy - often badly serve this great nation, overshadowing the rich tapestry of her intricate past. Historian Neil Oliver presents a compelling new portrait of Scottish history, peppered with action, high drama and centuries of turbulence that have helped to shape modern Scotland. Along the way, he takes in iconic landmarks and historic architecture; debunks myths surrounding Scotland's famous sons; recalls forgotten battles; charts the growth of patriotism; and explores recent political developments, capturing Scotland's sense of identity and celebrating her place in the wider world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

History of Scotland
delighted with the ease and speed of getting the book The book itself is a first class outline of Scottish History ln an unschool bookish manner and presents a broad and insightfulllook at history which I have'nt seen before. Excellent treatise.
Jack Willis

... Read more

Product Description
Between the mid-thirteenth and mid-fourteenth centuries medieval Scotland experienced its greatest period of crisis. The expanding lordship of the crown, which reached its high medieval peak under Alexander II and Alexander III, came near to collapse in the face of multiple threats. The communities which made up the thirteenth-century realm were forced to respond and adapt to needs of war and shifting allegiances as rival royal dynasties and the English crown competed for lordship over Scotland. This volume describes the wars and examines their impact on the anglicised and gaelicised worlds of the British Isles. The period is dominated by the struggle to maintain Scotland as a distinct realm and community: Michael Brown considers how far the wars may also be seen as part of wider rivalries and related struggles in across western Europe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Book; Misleading Title
This is a very fine, very readable, and thoughtful history of medieval Scotland.It gives a very good context for the Scots "wars of independence."But very, very little of the book is actually about war.Don't go to this book if you want to know in more than the most general terms what happened at Stirling Bridge, Falkirk, or Bannockburn---the longest battle account is about one page.

Mel Gibson's Braveheart is not history
If you are interested in the historical background to Mel Gibson's Braveheart, this might be the book you want. It turns out that Mel Gibson got the name of William Wallace right, and his stubborn refusal to yield to Edward Longshanks right, but not much else.
Scotland had enjoyed almost a century of internal peace under the kings David I, Alexander II, and Alexander III. When Alexander III died without a male heir the Scottish nobles became uneasy: even if Scotland had stabilized under "the Good King" Alexander, it was still an unruly place with ambituos noblemen and aggresive norse lords in the north and west. When his daughter (the maid of Norway) died in Orkney 1290, the [...] hit the fan - now the throne was up for grabs.
This book describes the old-fashioned political system of the Scottish kingdom, and why it became so vulnerable in a succesional crisis. It then continues with the complex political games in the crisis of the succesion - nobles switched allegiance as often as we change underwear. It is an interesting fact how international the Scottish crisis was: claimants to the throne came from Norway, Flanders, France, and England. The political intruiguing involved not only England and Scotland, but also Gwynnedd, Irish sub-kings, France, Holy Roman Empire, Scandinavia, and the Papal curia. William Wallace turns out to have been a comparatively minor character in all this.
Sometimes the sheer number of names is overwhelming, and there is a lack of pictures. The writing is a bit dry, and the subject gets a very, almost too, scholarly treatment.
The main strengths of the book, I think, are that the author thoroughly describes the causes of the political crisis that led to the wars and that he puts them into their European context. ... Read more

Product Description
Scotland has long had a romantic appeal which has tended to be focused on a few over-dramatized personalities or events, notably Mary Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Highland Clearances - the failures and the sad - though more positively, William Wallace and Robert the Bruce have also got in on the act, because of their heroism in resisting English aggression. This has had its satisfaction, and has certainly been very good for the tourist industry. But, fuelled by the explosion of serious academic studies in the last half-century, there has grown up a keen desire for a better-informed and more satisfying understanding of the Scottish past - and not only in Scotland. The vague use of 'Britain' in books and television series which are in fact about England has begun to provoke adverse comment; there is clearly a growing desire for knowledge about the history of the non-English parts of the British Isles and Eire, already well established in Ireland and becoming increasingly obvious in Scotland and Wales.

This book brings together a series of studies by well-established scholars of Scottish history, from Roman times until the present day, and makes the fruits of their research accessible to students and the general reader alike. It offers the opportunity to go beyond the old myths, legends, and romance to the much more rewarding knowledge of why Scotland was a remarkably successful, thriving, and important kingdom, of international renown. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The history of Scoland for people who already know the history of Scotland
If you are looking for your first book on the history of Scotland, this is not it.

This is a very, very detailed review of Scottish history which presumes you already have a detailed knowledge of the subject.If you are looking for an introduction to the history of Scotland, this is not your book.This book does not give you an overview or context for the history, but gives lots of detail for those who are already knowledgeable about the history of Scotland.The book is not an easy read.Some of the passages in this book are almost impenetrable; with paragraphs that run two, three or even four pages long.

This book does not really give much information on Scotland before 1100.If you are interested in the geologic or pre-historic history of Scotland, this book will not give you that information.

If you are looking for detailed information on Scotland and the succession of Scottish kings after 1100, this book contains vast amounts of detailed information.

Scotland: wee giant of the British Isles
What is an American reader who is neither a Scot nor a scholar of Scotland likely to know about that country? That there are highlanders who wear kilts and eat haggis. That Shakespeare's Macbeth was once Scotlands's king. That Robert the Bruce learned patience watching a spider weave its web. That John Knox brought a dour Calvinism to the Kingdom, at the same time putting the skids under Mary Queen of Scots. That Walter Scott and George Gordon Lord Byron (who had a titled Scottish mother) wove long narrative poems and Scott also wrote IVANHOE and other novels about the past of England and Scotland. Maybe an American reader has also seen movies such as KIDNAPPED, ROB ROY, BRAVEHEART and the TV series THE HIGHLANDER.

That seems very little to know about a country but is enough to assure that a reader will both enjoy and benefit from SCOTLAND: A HISTORY. MacBeth is in its pages as well as the murdered Duncan and his sons and the beginning of the three-century plus Stewart/Stuart dynasty. King Robert the Bruce and the initially obscure William Wallace contend for the mythic soul of Scots both high and low. John Calvin's Kirk definitively colors Scotland's religion and politics for over 400 years. Professor Richard B. Sher of Rutgers University concludes his dazzling Chapter 6, "Scotland Transformed: The Eighteenth Century," this way: "By the end of the eighteenth century, Burns was dead and Ferguson, Mackenzie, and Blair in retirement, but the age of Walter Scott was about to begin" (p. 208). ***

Throughout, the eleven authors narrate with color and precision. That John Knox wrote in the vernacular is no surprise. Much earlier in the same 16th century Gavin Douglas in his ENEADOS had translated Vergil's AENEID into Scots, even before anyone did it in southern English (p. 319). It is striking that in their "diaspora" (Chapter 9) Scots appeared in some numbers in Prussia, Poland, RussiaSweden and South Africa. Scots also left their mark as military and civil officers in British India.

There is a consensus among the editor and authors that for too long Scottish history was almost a monopoly of Presbyterian writers. Their slants were important but tended to obscure the case for other persuasions and values, such as the more fun-loving English and their taste for "cakes and ale." Scots are also great story tellers and chroniclers and it is important that 21st century scholars have revisited critically and displayed anew the old sources. This they do convincingly in SCOTLAND: A HISTORY.

-OOO-

Through 80 pages ...
Having been published very recently, this book with many contributors synthesizes the latest scholarship.I have just finished the second chapter, AD 1100-1300.This period of Scotland becoming a nation seems to pivot on the reign of David I (1124-53), although later monarchs' of Scots achievements are detailed too, such as the bringing of the Western Isles into the realm.It is worthwhile reading, but occasionally the author's grammar or an obscure reference is confusing.
I was most interested in the first chapter, written by University of Glasgow's Katherine Forsyth."Origins: Scotland to 1100" is the period I have been reading about the most over several years.Obviously 39 pages cannot contain exceptional detail (compared to an entire book on the subject, such as Smyth's 'Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80-1000', which, by the way, also gives great insight into the eleventh century, besides the whole first millenium,) but I found it to be a suitable introduction to this period for such as a single-volume of Scottish history might offer.The author's speciality in epigraphy allows for some intriguing insights, while not hindering a thorough overall impression of the period. ... Read more

Product Description
Scotland's story cannot be told merely in terms of documentary evidence, for this would be to neglect an integral part of the nation's heritage. The legends, myths, stories and memories handed down from generation to generation must be added to the bare bones of factual record if the character of the country is to be truly revealed. Nigel Tranter was able to combine the two with a masterly hand, expertly weaving the colourful threads of folklore into the fabric of historical fact. Tranter was impeccably qualified to tell the story of Scotland, having written many books detailing the nation's rich past and he possessed an exceptional gift for storytelling. His account begins in the years before records made traditional history possible and ends with the transformation of Scotland during the 19th century into a workshop of the world and a source of pioneers for Britain's empire. In this perennial bestseller, Niigel Tranter's incomparable tale of a nation's enthralling history is the most comprehensible primer on the subject yet published.Before he passed away in January 2000, Tranter had written over 70 novels and several works of non-fiction, almost all of them historical works set in Scotland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Sitting on Grandpa Tranter's lap
The story of Scotland by Nigel Tranter is his way of telling the history or rather overview of Scotland from the times of the Picts, Columba, to the Canmores, Bruces, Stewarts and finally through the Jacobite rebellions and the Highland clearances.Nigel Tranter does a beautiful job of giving any reader a basic overview of what Scotland's history and major players were all about.Not all Kings were great nor was every commoner unworthy.The book is full of choice facts and interesting tidbits that leave you wanting to know more.I found myself often jotting down notes to research further.

Anyone new to Scottish history should read this to get their bearings.This book is told as though your Grandfather was telling the tale.This book is also a good outline for Tranter's other Historical fiction novels.If you like a particular peace of history then chances are that one of Tranter's novels covers the individual or event quiet well.It is like the framework that he decorates with all his novels.

This book is perfect to those new and seasoned Scottish history lovers or just for Tranter fans that are looking for the summary of the land they love. Worth every penny.

A Must-Read For Scots And...
...Non-Scots Alike.

As a Scot, I have met many, many fellow-Scots who, having endured the careful tutelage of the "British" (English) curricula - mostly without realising the existence of the omissions, biases, and distortions inherent therein - are blissfully (ignorantly) unaware of many of the facts related in this book.Here are but a few:

- John Knox was a paid-agent of Henry Tudor (VIII), and actually sold information to the English allowing the burning of Leithside by the English fleet in 1544.

- Robert Burns was a Campbell, and 'Burns' is a pseudonym adopted by the family to hide a rather more-or-less typical Campbell injustice.

- England owes Scotland back-taxes on the entire Tynedale region dating back to the days of Robert The Lion; the legal charter for which has never been revoked.These taxes would come to several trillions of pounds as of today, if the law were enforced...

- The Stone Of Scone presently on display in Edinburgh Castle, having been stolen by Edward Longshanks and used for the coronation of English monarchs for some 700 years (including the present Queen Elizabeth), is most likely a cess-cover (sewer-cover) substituted by the monks of Scone Abbey as a great prank on the Sassenachs.

And so on.

If you want to know Truths about Scotland which were certainly _NOT_ taught in pre-devolution Scottish schools (things may be different now; I can only hope), this book is chock full of such choice nuggets.It is also a very fine read, as Tranter brings History to life, with wry humour and compassionate grace.

I cannot emphasise enough the value of this book to anyone interested in the TRUE story of Scotland, and not the politically-filtered propaganda foisted upon so many generations of Scots in Scottish schools under the "guidance" of the Scottish Office.

Interesting Read
If you want an interesting, entertaining history of Scotland.This is your book.We are going to Scotland as a family this summer and "The Story of Scotland"has been a great introduction to the wild ride of Scottish history.I highly recommend it.

A different view of Scottish History!
Nigel Tranter gives a different view of the usual glorified, "Braveheart" kind of Scottish history. THE STORY OF SCOTLAND is an insider's journey through an often misunderstood country.

Not history, but "historical nonfiction"
I am a Texan, but I have spent parts of about a dozen summers in Scotland, mostly in Edinburgh.I love Scottish history, as well as the country itself.Scottish literature is among the best in the world, and Nigel Tranter is one of my favorite Scottish writers.I have read about a dozen of his historical novels, and enjoyed every one.The Bruce Trilogy is especially good, and is in my view the finest historical novel ever printed.However, Tranter does something different in The Story of Scotland, which isn't quite history.I prefer to think of it as "Historical Nonfiction", for in it Tranter weaves a tale, but this time it is the tale of all Scotland.The book is aptly named, for although historical, it is a story first and foremost.It is an excellent introduction to Scotland and its history, as long as one does not mistake it for serious history.I have read it several times, and recommend it with enthusiasm. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

ancient Scotland made interesting
HTR writes in TIoS that Scotland was a place where things were invented in one form or another to satisfy a nationalist void.

The premise of his book TIoS is that Scotland is great. The trouble is, nobody knew it. For most people, i.e. the English, ancient Scotland was a barbaric place devoid of culture, civilization and history. Starting in the 1400s Scottish historians, philosophers and writers set out to document a long, ancient and valid Scottish lineage. When none existed, history, literature and even dress of the Scots were "invented" and myths surrounding these societal fundamentals were developed, strongly embraced, and perpetuated.
TIoS is well written and documented extensively. The literary myth and ensuing controversy surrounding James MacPherson and Ossian took up a tedious majority of the book.It was disappointing, given the depth of detail, that the author did not include a single line or excerpt of Ossian/Macpherson's work. I wish that there were a couple of illustrations of original Highland dress. The author's descriptions were good, but I would like to see what the original costume, especially the belted plaid, looked like. A map of Scotland also would have been helpful.

The book left me thoughtful. Now I wonder about our own and other countries' glorious national inventions. It was told in a respectful and very knowledgeable way. It was trudging at times, often bogged down and dry, needed a better editor.

Classic Biased History of the Scottish People
The Invention of Scotland: Myth and HistoryAuthor Hugh Trevor-Roper seems to be one of those self-loathing Scots who are against "all-things-Tartan". In his zeal to destroy the "Tartan Myth" and the popular world view of Scotland,he forgets that it precisely those national qualities which the world finds so irresistible.

Invention of Scotland
Reinforces what I, with roots in Scotland, thought all along, that we are a great race of people with the ability to tell the world. A must read for students of Scotland. ... Read more

Product Description
Kirkus Reviews hailed Magnus Magnusson's book as a "vast,superb history [that] relates Scotland's past over a dozen millennia."Drawing on a great deal of modern scholarship that has redefined thenation's story, Magnusson vividly re-creates the long and fascinatingstory of Scotland, offering the most up-to-date and comprehensivehistory available today. Magnusson, who received an honoraryknighthood for his contributions to the preservation of Scotland'sheritage, casts the nation's historical trajectory as a long struggletoward nationhood. He explains the roots of the original Scots andexamines the extent to which Scotland was shaped by the Romans, thePicts, the Vikings, and the English. He casts a sober eye on the manyhistorical myths that have developed over the years, assessing theircredibility while giving full appreciation of their importance to thepeople of Scotland. In addition to this cultural history, Magnussonoffers a detailed account of the political and economic forces thatshaped the nation's fate. Acclaimed by The Washington Post as a"well-told traditional history," this is a comprehensive history ofScotland packed with colorful stories, bloody battles, viciouspolitical intrigues, and a rich pageant of historicalcharacters. Encompassing everything from the first Mesolithic settlersin 7000 b.c. to the present movements for independence, Scotland: TheStory of a Nation is a history on an epic level, and essential readingfor anyone interested in the past of this fascinatingland.Amazon.com Review
Near Stirling, Scotland, stands a memorial to the warrior William Wallace, put to death at the orders of the English king Edward I in 1305. Within that memorial stands a glass case, and inside of it stands a broadsword 1.7 meters long. Legend has it that the hero himself wielded the weapon, and so "Wallace's Sword" it is.

Magnus Magnusson, a native of Iceland who has long lived in and written about Scotland, may spoil it for some readers when he writes that Wallace's Sword probably wasn't Wallace's. To use it, Wallace would have had to have stood at least 6-foot-6 in height and to have lived two centuries later. The business of the sword is just one of the "cherished conceptions" about Scottish history that Magnusson picks apart and then, corrected and improved, restores. At other turns he considers the true identity of the legendary king Macbeth (and entertains some surprising but plausible theories about the king's alter ego); reconstructs decisive battles such as Otterburn, Flodden, and Glencoe; and looks closely at the complicated negotiations (and, many would say, treacheries) that led to the union with England of 1707. Magnusson closes with an account of modern independence movements and the recent return of some measure of national autonomy, opening a "new chapter in a nation's story, which the people of Scotland are now beginning to write."

Lucid, witty, and unafraid of controversy, Magnusson's book does a fine job of condensing a complex history, stretching out for 10 millennia, into a single volume. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Great account of a great history
I was delighted with this book from beginning to end.One of the things i noticed right off the bat was how easy and simple the author relates Scottish history.He makes alive and easy to follow.Another thing that i loved about this book is that,as the author tells the story, he pauses and tells you were today you can find this battleground,that palace or that special place in Scotland.I think this is a must for people traveling or just enjoying Scotland.

very readable
Mangusson writes a very vivid account of the Scottish history, which - notwithstanding the immense volume of the book- is highly readable. From the early beginnings with Picts vs. Romans, through the turbulent centuries of fighting against their Southern neighbours, until the common history in the United Kingdom, the author tells about the main players of Scotland's history more than about its social history (which makes it easier to read). His bias and sympathy for the Scotsmen (vs. Englishmen) always remains obvious, alas, in the end it didn't help and they were unified.(Anyway, as an innocent bystander I don't know whether Scotland should really go again on its own.)

Excellent Scottish History
First off, the book was delivered from the USA to Australia in less than a week from the order being placed. That's very impressive and commendable!

The book itself is very interesting, and though I have not reached the end I have flicked through the last few chapters and feel I can make an informed judgement.
The author gives a very detailed account of the history of Scotland, and personally I found it very interesting. His history is consciously based on Sir Walter Scott's famous works, and he uses many quotes from him and others throughout the piece. Also, and most unusually, he uses detailed descriptions of how sites are today, including information on how to visit the locations mentioned. This is not common in books such as this, but welcome as I plan to visit Scotland and this is a great help.

The pictures and maps are well chosen, though a smaller scale map of Scotland rather than a single large one would have been nice too.

Overall the writing was quite well paced and did not become overly dry. This is not an especially academic text, but it is very readable, and has a good list of sources.

Overall, a good book, and I'm glad I got it.

History of Scoltland, Magnus Magnusson
This was sent to a Scot in the US as a gift.He was enthralled by its good writing, factual accuracy and imagery.Also Magnus Magnusson is a hero!

Good Primer on Scottish History
I have always been intrigued by English and Scottish history.Having recently returned from a two week golf trip to Scotland, I find myself even more deeply interested in the history and people of that country.

This is a very good, broad and comprehensive treatment of Scottish history and personages from the earliest time through the present.Much of what is written is seen through the prism of English history, as the two are necessarily intertwined.A few complaints, however.

The author routinely identifies places and monuments through reference to highway numbers.At times, the history reads like a travelogue.While this is undeniably helpful to Scottish readers who wish to visit those sites, the failure to include good maps leaves one wondering.

More disconcerting is the author's insistence on rehabilitating virtually every historical personage of Scottish importance.To believe the author, almost every Scottish leader was a swell guy who has been mistreated by history.The phrase, "Recent research has painted a far more (a)sympathetic, (b)complimentary, (c)positive portrait of xxxxxxxxx than previously thought" appears over and over again as Magnusson goes about his job of rehabilitating previously poorly thought of leaders and Kings.Seriously, some of those fellows were probably just bad Kings.Deal with it.

Having said that, I find Scottish genealogy far easier to follow than the rat's nest that was Medieval and Renaissance English royal politics.Trying to decipher the in-breeding and marriage alliances involved in the War of the Roses can cross your eyes, whereas James I begat James II, who begat James III, who begat James IV, who begat James V, who begat Mary (uh-oh).Of course, the near constant turmoil and political infighting only increased exponentially with the Reformation and introduction of religious strife to the region.To read the record, the 16th and 17th centuries were consumed with constant intrigue and rebellion, more often as not, focusing on the tug of war between royalty dominated Episcopalianism and church (and individual) led Presbyterianism (and forget about the poor stray Catholic that may be periodically drawn and quartered).

All in all, a very educational and time worthy effort for anyone curious about the development of Scotland as an independent nation and the historical personages that played a role in that process, both inside and outside the country.
... Read more

Product Description

Richard Oram concentrates on the era commonly known as the "making of the kingdom," or the Anglo-Norman era of Scottish history. He balances a traditional historiographical focus on the "feudalization" of Scottish society and its wholesale importation of alien cultural traditions with a more recent emphasis on the continuing vitality and centrality of twelfth- and early-thirteenth-century Gaelic culture.

Part I explores the transition from the Gaelic kingship of Alba to the hybridized medieval state, examining Scotland's role as both dominated and dominating country. It discusses the redefinition of relationships among the English, Gaelic magnates operating within Scotland's traditional territorial heartland, and autonomous or independent mainland and insular powers. These interactions lie at the center of an intriguing investigation about political domination in northern mainland Britain and adjacent islands, as well as a the mechanisms and manner through which that domination was projected and expressed. Part II thematically explores central aspects of the society and culture of late eleventh- and early-thirteenth-century Scotland, which gave character and substance to the emerging kingdom. It considers the evolutionary growth of Scottish economic structures, changes in the management of land-based resources, and the manner in which secular power and authority were acquired and exercised. These themes are developed in discussions of the emergence of urban communities and in the creation of a new noble class. Religion is examined both in terms of the development of the Church and the religious experience of the lay population.

Product Description

The editors recount the daily behaviors, experiences, and beliefs of the Scottish people from early times to 1600. They establish the character of everyday life in Scotland as it developed over time and within specific contexts. Despite focusing on the mundane, the editors also heed the experience of war, famine, environmental disaster, and other disturbances, assessing long-term processes of change in religion, politics, and economic and social affairs. In showing how the extraordinary impinged on the everyday, this book draws on every possible kind of evidence, including a diverse range of documentary sources; artefactual, environmental, and archaeological materials; and the published work of many disciplines. Contributors respect a variety of Scottish voices and reveal the nature of daily life across rank, class, gender, age, religion, and ethnicity. They mark the differences between Highland and Lowland, Western Isles and Northern Isles, inland and coastal, and urban and rural, and they trace the influence of language, whether Gaelic, Welsh, English, Pictish, Norse, Latin, or Scots. Particularly fascinating are advances brought about by trading and migration. Taken as a whole, this portrait introduces a brand new perspective on medieval Scotland, with implications for all areas of historical scholarship.

Product Description
The popular image of Scotland is dominated by widely recognized elements of Celtic culture.But could it be that a significant non-Celtic influence on Scotland's history has been largely ignored or unknown for centuries? This book argues just such a case, maintaining that much of Scotland's history and culture from 1100 forward is Jewish. The authors provide evidence that much of the population, including several national heroes, villains, rulers, nobles, traders, merchants, bishops, guild members, burgesses, and ministers, was of Jewish descent. They describe how the ancestors of these persons originated in France and Spain and then made their way to Scotland's shores, moors, burgs and castles from the reign of Malcolm Canmore to the aftermath of the Spanish Inquisition.

It is proposed here that much of the traditional historical account of Scotland rests on fundamental interpretive errors, and that these errors have been perpetuated in order to manufacture and maintain an origin for Scotland that affirms its identity as a Celtic, Christian society. This equation of Scotland with Celtic culture in the popular (and academic) imagination has buried a more accurate and profound understanding of its history. The authors' wide-ranging research includes examination of census records, archaeological artifacts, castle carvings, cemetery inscriptions, religious seals, coinage, burgess and guild member rolls, noble genealogies, family crests, portraiture, and geographic place names. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Provocative and well worth reading
This volume will enrage some, puzzle others, and hopefully open some new avenues for thought and inquiry.

The authors make a decent case, via biography, naming conventions, history, genealogy, iconography, linguistics, and, to a lesser extent, DNA for many of those historically in very high places in Scotland having come from Jewish roots -- and, to some extent, having preserved them despite abundant reasons to abandon them.I don't think that they prove the case implicit in their ambitious title; indeed I doubt the authors would actually argue that they had done so, probably feeling that if they have opened the question for discussion they have done their work well.I think they have done that, and good for them!

I do have a few quibbles:

1.While I understand it's now stylistically correct to have the footnotes at the end of the book, this is an example where the book would have been greatly improved by having the footnotes on the pages they reference.Too many times a reference in the text was not clear to me when I was reading the text, but when I subsequently read the footnotes I had an "aha!" moment.I wonder how much more I would have gotten out of my reading if I had had the aha! moment when reading the text. The footnotes, by the way, are excellent.
2.I had recently read Abba Rubin's excellent "Images in Transition:The English Jew in English Literature, 1660 - 1830" and noted that the authors could have supported their case with Rubin's book.It belongs in the bibliography at any rate.
3.It's perfectly human when writing family history (this book is to some extent a family history) to choose one's examples from one's own history.Thus, it was no surprise that the authors did so here.However, I wish they had elected to expand their Jewish DNA argument to include some of the J1 and J2 haplotypes found in Scotland.While the R1bs they use may have been Jewish at some point, virtually all the J1s and J2s (which include the Cohanic Modal Haplotype) can be traced to the Middle East with little or no ambiguity -- unlike the R1bs.Another reviewer has noted that 12 markers is also pretty limited to draw firm conclusions from (that's true), and the authors are apologetic about their sample size and obvious selection biases (again true), but I'm willing to give them a bye on this given their 2006 copyright date.For the time, it was pretty good data. No doubt better data is available today.

Since I mentioned family history, I'll add that the book was personally useful to me since I was surprised a year or so ago to find that I have a J1 haplotype, and with the surname of Brown and a very elusive family tree prior to 1800, and that most of my closest DNA matches are with men surnamed Graham.Well, I may not have found the specific non-marital event that produced my line, but I feel much closer to knowing the geography in which it occurred thanks to this book -- and the clear association between the two families it describes.

Pure Nonsense
This book is a complete fabrication. Anyone with genuine Scottish ancestry would be appalled at the stupidity of the supposed genealogical and historical research. The DNA evidence is not evidence. It is a group of people with no clear understanding of who they are grasping at ideas and trying to make actual DNA proof fit their desired history and not the actual known history of Scotland or the borderlands. I question if these people even have any connection at all to either Scotland or Judaism.

The fact is that Haplogroup R1b1 is found at a high frequency in Western Europe. Most men from Spain, France and the United Kingdom have this DNA and there is no connection to Judaism. If you are from Scotland and you have a twelve marker DNA test indicate that your Haplotype is R1b1 it is highly unlikely your ancestor came from the Middle East. R1b1 does not indicate Sephardic Jewish ancestry. Other nonsense in this book includes claiming that one Jewish man is the ancestor to several royal lineages simply because they all have the same 12 markers. 77% of Scotland has the same 12 markers. It is stupidity and desperation to a degree that most genealogists and geneticists should ignore or, as I am doing, speak out against it.

Even a quick google search would disprove these claims. There were no Jews in England prior to 1066. It was an inhospitable place. William the Conqueror allowed Jews to travel to the Kingdom after 1066. They garnered so much hatred that they were expelled in 1292 by King Edward I. At the most there 16,000 Jews who lived in England and that is an extremely high estimate. Most Jewish men were executed in their homes after the order of expulsion and 300 more were tried and executed at the Tower of London. The rest of the Jewish population were ordered to leave and many died or were murdered on their way out. They were very unpopular due to their notable financial fraud and scams and the accusations of ritual murder including the nephew of Godwin Stuart. The Jews that survived settled along the Rhine and have zero connection to the Sephardic Jews of Spain and Portugal.

There were no Jews that escaped to the borderlands of Scotland or Wales. The Jews living in England at that time were well known and usually were forced to live near the nobility for protection. There is zero DNA evidence of a Jewish presence in either Scotland or Wales. This area was not a place to hide and a Jewish person would have been found out. There was no intermarriage between the Jews and the local population either. Not one marriage between an English Jew or an English man or woman with known Jewish ancestry and a non-Jewish native English person was ever recorded prior to the Jewish expulsion.

My Grandfather descends from early settlers who traveled through the Southern United States with Daniel Boone and may have a Jewish connection. There is evidence that Daniel Boone was not Jewish but my grandfather's DNA tested within the J1 Haplotype and this would indicate Middle Eastern ancestry. There may be truth to Melungeons having a Jewish or Muslim connection but it has nothing to do with Jewish ancestors in Scotland because they didn't exist.

When Scotland was Jewish
Not for the casual, light reader. Caldwelll-Hirshman and Yates back up their theories of Scotland's non-celtic history, withthorough, tireless research; and their DNA results of America's Melungeon people leaves convincingproof as to the Melungeons origins.
Except for the clinical DNA reports, this non-fiction is written in a concise, logical manner thatallows the non-science, lay person to adequately follow and understand the book's wealth of information.

When Scotland Was Jewish
I found this book very interesting.I found links to my dad's family through three of his grandparents.I was not surprised to find Coopers my paternal grandfather's family but I was very surprised to find my paternal grandmother's family, both sides, Crocketts, and Rosses.I also found links to my Harvey cousins.One of them has had his DNA tested and found it very interesting indeed. I will definitely look for more research on this subject.This book was interesting and gave me some very good leads to follow.
M Cooper

Y DNA 12 markers
The DNA evidence in this work only includes DNA-Y 12 markers.Everyone in the business knows that the 12 marker is ONLY used to disprove relationships.It takes 37 markers in a Y-DNA test to prove a relationship! ... Read more

Product Description
Scotland is unusually rich in field monuments and objects surviving from early times. This comprehensive survey of Scotland's prehistoric and early historic archaeology covers the full chronological range from the earliest inhabitants to the union of the Picts and Scots in AD 843. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will help both students and visitors to monuments to understand the lifestyles of Scotland's early societies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Scotland, Archaeology and Early History
Academic in tone and style.Of interest to the tourist who would like to put cairns and duns, henges and Roman forts seen on a visit to Scotland in some sort of context.

Fascinating
A survey of prehistoric and Roman Scottish archaeology, always interesting reading. Intriguing sites are discussed and black and white photographs and pictures illustrate the text quite well. As an introduction to the field (spoken as a neophyte) I recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
Covering a staggering period from the Pictish peoples and their symbol stones to modern devolution, Mitchison's absorbing narrative remains the classic introduction to Scottish history.
This beautifully written text covers the key social and political aspects of the growth of this nation, and comprises cultural systems of thought such as early witchcraft beliefs and the Scottish Enlightenment. Now with a new introduction by the author and an epilogue by David McCrone, this wide-ranging and unique account remains one of the finest histories of Scotland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Well written & judicious
I'm reading the 2d edition and enjoying it, tho my reason for reading (ignorance of Scottish history) doesn't leave me able to evaluate her accuracy.Nevertheless, where the narrative overlaps with the English history I know better, I find nothing to fault.

Mitchison is a lively writer, especially after the first chapter or two when she has more sources to work with.She obviously does not admire the Presbyterian radicals, but arguably, neither should you.(Being raised Presbyterian in the U.S., I found her remarks welcome.)She can be witty and turns a few phrases, but I never found this to be a substitute for thought on her part.

If you want a short, professional history of Scotland that, happily, does NOT "read like a novel," then this is a good one. ... Read more

Product Description

From Caledonia to Pictland examines the earliest phases of Scottish history at a time when "Scotland" hadn't yet come into existence. It charts the transformation of the Celtic-speaking tribes of Iron Age Caledonia into the multi-lingual Christian kingdoms of Early Medieval northern Britain, peopled by Picts, Britons, Angles and Gaels. Major factors in this process include the direct and indirect influence of the Roman Empire, the profound impact of Christianisation, and the influx of Germanic settlers to the east and of Gaelic settlers to the west. Politically, we see the emergence of dynastic kingship and the earliest origins of state structures; culturally, this was a period of vibrant artistic achievement. The volume concludes with a chapter on sources introducing the wide-range of, often intractable, evidence available to the historian of the period.

Customer Reviews (3)

educational book
bought this for my son, who loves everything Scottish.He enjoyed it, it was shipped quickly and well packaged.

Delightful
A must have for anyone of scots descent. Lots of beautiful prints and swatches.. and insightful anecdotes that makes any tartan wearing descendant swell with pride. Good family reference.

On wi' the Tartan !
This book follows a well worn pattern but does it well.A small section is devoted to each name, its tartan is illustrated and, in this case, a major advantage is the inclusion of the heraldic drawings of the chief'sarms and in some cases, standards, by the late Don Pottinger, Islay Heraldat the Court of the Lord Lyon.

The limitation of this formula is that isit virtually impossible to say anything meaningful in such a short spaceabout a whole clan and often the illustrations of the tartans are too smallto allow the full sett to be seen.

This book finds the same problems whendescribing each name but its tartans are better than most, although it isimpossible, for instance, to see the whole pattern of the Cameron ofLochiel tartan as illustrated.Useful additions, however, are some of themain branches of each clan, and,where one exists, its slogan orbattle-cry.

Some names are included which are not clans but families forwhom a tartan is named. Particularly useful for those not already familiarwith it is the map showing main clan locations on pp52-55.This is thework of Don Pottinger and the late Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, AlbanyHerald and it contains a wealth of information.

There are a number ofuseful articles included in the text and the whole book is most atractivelylaid out.A good introduction to the subject and well above the usualstandard. ... Read more

Product Description

This book encompasses Scottish history in the sixteenth century, from James IV's accession to Mary, Queen of Scots' execution, focusing in particular on Scottish political life from local, regional, and central perspectives.

Product Description

During this period, Scotland first emerged on the stage of history. Beginning with the Christian kingdoms of Northumbria and Pictavia, which dominated northern Britain, Alex Woolf describes the collapse of the Old Order under the Vikings, the rise of Alba, the Gaelic-speaking kingdom, and first contact with the kingdom of England.