Bare Feet and Tackety Boots

by Archie Cameron

In this text, the last survivor of those who were born and raised on the island of Rhum before World War I presents a social history and personal anecdote of a way of life gone not long ago but already almost forgotten.

Genres: Scotland, Nonfiction

164 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the story of the author's childhood and teenage years on the island of Rhum in the early part of the last century. I found it quite disappointing, as I didn't really get much of a feel for what life was really like there. For one thing, a lot of it was quite repetitive - we hear numerous accounts of how he and his friends stole or poached pheasants or played petty practical jokes on other people and there's lots of stuff about the midges and some tedious 'toilet humour', but information on daily life was quite sparse.

A lot of it is also quite negative. There are a number of gruesome accounts of cruelty to animals and an unpleasant account of what today would be termed 'upskirting'. At one point, Cameron tries to get the local gamekeeper fired by killing all the pheasants the man was supposed to look after. And he describes people he doesn't like as 'vermin'. While I can understand some of Cameron's actions seeming funny to him at the time, he wrote this book in his 80s, when one would have hoped that he had changed his views, yet the only thing he expresses regret for is that he once accidentally killed a chaffinch.

I might have given this three stars if it had either been more entertaining to read or had given me a better understanding of life on Rhum, but this book failed on both counts.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life at turn of the 1900 on the remote inner Hebrides. Basic life didn’t mean no hijinks, or examples of injustice and misdemeanours.
What was eaten, what was taught in school and how to live are all covered for you Archie’s life before he left aged 16

[Oliver Pilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written book perfect book to read on a cold winter night by the fire place… a book that brings the old ways of life back to vivid life a century later… I truly recommend this book x