William Alexander

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Rusticus

William Alexander was born in 1826 in the Garioch, near the foot of Benachie. He was a prolific novelist of wide thematic range and considerable variety of style, from austere realism at one end of the scale, to mellow social comedy at the other. His works were serialised in popular newspapers. He consciously avoided the book as a publication vehicle.

Sketches of Rural Life in Aberdeenshire ran in the Aberdeen Free Press during 1853. The Authentic History of Peter Grundie appeared in the Penny Free Press in 1855, and is the earliest novel of substance to be written specifically for publication in a newspaper. There followed The Laird of Drammochdyle in 1865, Ravenshowe and the Residenters Therein in 1867, and Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk in 1869.

His later short stories, Mary Malcolmson's Wee Maggie, Baubie Huie's Bastart Geet, Francie Herregerie's Sharger Laddie and Couper Sandy show the harsh consequences of economic and social change for cotters, labourers and small tenant farmers.

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Books with William Alexander

	People's History and Socialist Theory (History Workshop Series) by Raphael Samuel (Editor) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 1981 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Scottish Literature: An Introduction by Alan Riach 4.14 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2022 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Farm Life in Northeast Scotland, 1840 - 1914: The Poor Man's Country by Ian R. Carter 4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 1978 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Popular Literature in Victorian Scotland: Language, Fiction and the Press by William Donaldson (Editor) 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 1986 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Laird of Drammochdyle and his Contemporaries: or Random Sketches Done in Outline with a Burnt Stick by William Alexander 2.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 1865 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rural life in Victorian Aberdeenshire by William Alexander 3.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 1989 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Scots Imagination and Modern Memory by Andrew Blaikie liked it 3.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2008 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Scotland in the Age of the Disruption by Stewart J. Brown (Editor) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1993 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The History of Scottish Literature, Volume 3: Nineteenth Century by Douglas Gifford (Editor) liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1989 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Transactions of the Buchan Club, XIII by Alexander Mackilligan (Contributor) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 1926 add/edit characters	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars