The Oxford Companion to Scottish History

by Michael Lynch (editor), Jeanette Brock (Contributor), Simon Taylor (Contributor)

Authoritative and hugely informative, with over 170 contributors, this is an essential companion for anyone interested in Scottish history. It includes Columba, Macbeth, and William Wallace; Burns Clubs, curling, and shinty; clans, Clearances and Covenanters. It covers Scotland from Orkney and
Shetland to Galloway, and Scots abroad from Canada to Russia to New Zealand.

Genres: History, Scotland, Nonfiction, Reference

768 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Michael Lynch, FRHistS, FRSE, FSA Scot is a Scottish historian and a leading expert in the history of the Scottish Reformation and pre-modern urbanisation in the Scottish kingdom. In 2010, five years after his retirement, he was described by one reviewer as 'one of the most influential historians in Scotland of the last thirty years', whose work has been characterised by an 'ability to bring ecclesiastical, cultural and urban perspectives to traditional Scottish political and governmental histories', as well as the ability 'to clarify a difficult theory within a deceptively simple phrase'.

Lynch was born in Aberdeen. He was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School before taking degrees at the University of Aberdeen and the University of London. His first academic post was a lectureship in the history department at University College, Bangor (now Bangor University) from 1971-1979. From there he took up a lectureship in the Scottish history department at the University of Edinburgh, where, in 1993, he was appointed Sir William Fraser Professor of Scottish History and Palaeography, holding this Chair - the oldest and most distinguished Scottish history professorship in the world - until his retirement in 2005. As Professor he served as chairman of the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland (1996-2002), president of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (1996-1999), and a trustee of the National Museum of Scotland (2002-2005).

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of fascinating stuff, but rather hard to navigate around.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very comprehensive book, packed with information. Certainly worth a read for those who want to have a detailed account of Scotland.