George MacKay Brown

by Ron Ferguson

Enigmatic mysterious intriguing: George Mackay Brown was a notoriously private man. He rarely left his native Orkney, and yet became one of the 20th century s finest poets and prose stylists.

In his prolific writings, George Mackay Brown's spirituality and his love of the wind-scoured island landscape fused to give us some of the most beautiful poetry and prose in the English language. His work is shot through with glimpses of the divine.

Ron Ferguson, who was described by George Mackay Brown as 'a true craftsman in literature' tracks with curiosity and passion his friend s literary and spiritual journey, including his controversial move from Presbyterianism to Roman Catholicism. He explores the darker, more tormented, side of Orkney's Bard and uncovers the intense relationship between alcohol, suffering and creativity.

This is a riveting journey. Along the way, the author is forced to question some of his own assumptions. And the reader is swept along on a literary and spiritual voyage of discovery that compels to the very end.

Weaving a brilliant, enriching narrative, the author draws extensively on the poet's writings, unpublished letters, conversations with the Bard's friends and many well-known writers.

Shortlisted for the Saltire Award for Best Research Book of the Year.

448 pages, Hardcover

First published August 13, 2011

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent biography that delves into the very soul of ‘GMB’. You come away with the impression that you almost know the man, though perhaps that’s because of the mirror Ferguson holds up to the reader. Ferguson provides a balanced account of a writer’s spiritual life, weaving anecdote, archival research, and his own interviews with GMB, together into an affectionate (though not wholly reverent) tapestry.

Ferguson doesn’t claim to know everything about Brown, and is left on the decking of his Orkney home with perhaps just as many questions as when he began his research. But his honesty and clear love for GMB’s works have produced a truly unique and essential biography of a singular writer. Outstanding.

[Godlarvae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely has a biographical sketch stuck me as this one on George MacKay Brown - - - most probably because of many parallels I decided were obvious between his life and mine. This is not to say that we were "twin brothers" but it is to say we have many of the same outlooks and philosophical perceptions.
He showed, however unwittingly, how possible it was to have a healthy attitude while suffering as he did through personal depression, alcoholism, and illness that left him horizontal for many months of his life.
He championed simplicity, humility, and honesty in his writing - - - not an easy thing to do in this day.
I am a better person because of reading Ferguson's account.

[Richard Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The must read if you wish to understand George Brown. Ron Ferguson ably and without illusion describes and analyses his life and work.