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Guy Mannering Or, the Astrologer Volume I
This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.
- GenresFiction
114 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2004
21 people want to read
About the author
Walter Scott
8,417 books2,076 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 6, 2019
In the mid-18th Century, a recent Oxford graduate visiting southern Scotland, Guy Mannering, finds lodging at an estate on the night that the Laird's son is born. The wanderer's astrological reading foretells danger at specific ages in the boy's future. The rest of the two volume novel chronicles how those prophecies are fulfilled.
"Guy Mannering" is the the second of Scott's historical fiction series known as the "Waverley novels," so named because the first in the series, originally published anonymously, was entitled "Waverley." I started with the second book because a plot point in the novel was referenced in John William Polidori's "The Vampyre, " an excellent story in its own right and a forerunner of Bram Stoker's "Dracula."
Guy Mannering is notable mainly for its depiction of 18th Century Scotland—that and the colorful characters, particularly the gypsy chieftain, Meg Merrilies, who figures prominently in the novel's plot. That said the book is a tough read with a lot of dialogue in Scots Gaelic. Interesting book, but,if you're looking for light reading, this novel is definitely not for you.
"Guy Mannering" is the the second of Scott's historical fiction series known as the "Waverley novels," so named because the first in the series, originally published anonymously, was entitled "Waverley." I started with the second book because a plot point in the novel was referenced in John William Polidori's "The Vampyre, " an excellent story in its own right and a forerunner of Bram Stoker's "Dracula."
Guy Mannering is notable mainly for its depiction of 18th Century Scotland—that and the colorful characters, particularly the gypsy chieftain, Meg Merrilies, who figures prominently in the novel's plot. That said the book is a tough read with a lot of dialogue in Scots Gaelic. Interesting book, but,if you're looking for light reading, this novel is definitely not for you.
June 25, 2013
I enjoyed the book, particularly after the heavy Scots dialect lessened. What struck me is that this novel has a lot of similarity with Tom Jones - the young man of questionable origin who is revealed as a true gentleman, and who gets the girl in the end after a series of adventures fraught with misunderstanding. Sir Walter Scott is indeed a master of the language, although I was a bit puzzled by German being spoken by a Dutchman with no trace of Dutch. This was the Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction edition read on my phone - it does come with a Scots glossary.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews