The Ultimate Burns Supper Book: A Practical (but Irreverent) Guide to Scotland's Greatest Celebration

by Clark McGinn

Every instruction you need to enjoy or arrange a Burns Supper just add food, drink and friends. Robert Burns is Scotland's second greatest gift to civilisation (after whiskey) and his poetry is rightly celebrated across the globe. The odds are youll be invited to a Burns Supper Night at some point in your life (probably in late January) and you may even want to host a Supper of your own. Whatever the case, this book will provide you with all the information you need to make sure your Burns Supper is a great event enjoyed by all. Clark McGinn, one of the foremost Burns Supper speakers in the world, presents the Ultimate Guide to the Burns Supper. Containing all the information you need to enjoy a Supper, whether as host, speaker or guest, this book is full of advice, anecdotes, poetry and wit. A complete run through of what to expect on the night, with a list of courses and speeches; Advice on what to wear; A section on how to prepare and present speeches; A list of common Burns Supper questions (and their answers!); A selection of Burns greatest poems, including a full English verse translation of the Address to a Haggis; Answers to your worries about eating haggis and drinking whiskey

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Clark McGinn was educated at Ayr Academy where he spoke at his first Burns Supper. He has performed at over 200 Immortal Memory speeches in 32 cities in 17 countries, travelling nearly a dozen times round the globe in the process. He was President of the Burns Club of London during the Burns 250th Celebrations in 2009, when he gave the Eulogy at the National Service of Thanksgiving for Burns at Westminster Abbey. In 2014, he was awarded a PhD by the University of Glasgow for his research into the history of the Burns Supper and has had several peer-reviewed articles published on various aspects of Burns.

He has published several books on the Burns Supper, including The Ultimate Burns Supper Book, The Burns Supper: A Comprehensive History and The Burns Supper: A Concise History. Clark lives with his wife, Ann, in Harrow-on-the-Hill and Fowey. Their three daughters live outside London and New York.

Reviews

[Sean Kottke]

Thoroughly enjoyable guide to a proper - and improper - Burns Supper. I’ve been preparing humble Burns Suppers at home for the last three years; next year, I’m heading to a big organized one, and of course with this book am inspired to prep something grander at home. Great good humor.

[Craig Herbertson]

Having fulfilled the roles of singer, MC and various other Burn's Night functions for a number of years I was encouraged to read this book by a colleague.

Personally I found it has everything required. Nothing beats a lifetime study of Burns and his poetry but this book will supply the deficiencies for anyone who wants to run a Burn's Night or serve in some capacity at one. It's also marvelously funny and expresses a practical and sensible philosophy and dare I say it a love of Burns and his work for the right reasons. A must buy.

[Angie]

Very consise about how to properly throw a Burns Supper dinner.

[Diana Bustamante]

I have never attended nor will I host a Burns Supper but I love Scotland and this was fun.