Read Scotland 2014 discussion
General Information
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Introductions
Joanne wrote: "Hi there. I'd like to join your challenge at the Hebridean level. I think if I read one Scottish author a month I should manage it :)I live in Livingston, just outside Edinburgh and I'm sure I ..."
Easy peasy, Joanne! Glad to have you along!
I swore off challenges a few years back, but made an exception for this one. I spent a week in Scotland back in May and absolutely loved it there. The Isle of Skye, oh be still my heart. . .I've finally posted the pool of books I'll be reading from on my blog. I'm hoping for the Highlander, but have enough books on hand to go higher.
http://pagesturned.blogspot.com/2013/...
Susan wrote: "I swore off challenges a few years back, but made an exception for this one. I spent a week in Scotland back in May and absolutely loved it there. The Isle of Skye, oh be still my heart. . .I've ..."
So glad you've made an exception for us! There will be a page up on my blog tomorrow just for the challenge too. We can post reviews at either place and chat at either place. I'm off to check out your blog!
My name is Linda and I live in central Scotland between Glasgow (the city of my birth) and Edinburgh. I have always been an avid reader but work and life usually dictate how much time I have for reading. I have recently found myself with more time for me so I am aiming to increase the number of books I read. Thanks to Peggy for this challenge, it's just what I need. I have read many books by Scottish authors and set in Scotland but there are always more I would like to read so I have signed up for the Ben Nevis challenge which will put a slight dent in my tbr pile, I hope.
Linda wrote: "My name is Linda and I live in central Scotland between Glasgow (the city of my birth) and Edinburgh. I have always been an avid reader but work and life usually dictate how much time I have for r..."So glad you have more time now and that you are using it to join us, Linda!
Joanne wrote: "Hi there. I'd like to join your challenge at the Hebridean level. I think if I read one Scottish author a month I should manage it :)I live in Livingston, just outside Edinburgh and I'm sure I ..."
Hi Joanne, I am also in Livingston, what a small world.
Hi there, I'm Julie or Jules from Ontario Canada. I've signed up for the challenge at the Highlander level hope to read 6 books this year. I've signed up through the challenge blog, using my blog, but I'll post on both Looking forward to finding some new reads.
Julie wrote: "Hi there, I'm Julie or Jules from Ontario Canada. I've signed up for the challenge at the Highlander level hope to read 6 books this year. I've signed up through the challenge blog, using my blog, ..."So glad you joined us, Julie!
Hi Peggy, thanks for the invite. I'm joining in at Just a Keek. I have a hard time passing up a man in a kilt, so hope that romances are welcome for the challenge. Though I am looking forward to finding out other more literary authors to check out.
Heather wrote: "Hi Peggy, thanks for the invite. I'm joining in at Just a Keek. I have a hard time passing up a man in a kilt, so hope that romances are welcome for the challenge. Though I am looking forward to ..."All genres work, Heather! Glad your joining in!
Hello Peggy, I'm a writer, and illustrator with an advertising & design agency background. I write and illustrate children's books (Kindle, Kindle Fire, iPad) and I'm based near Stirling. Best wishes.
D.H. wrote: "Hello Peggy, I'm a writer, and illustrator with an advertising & design agency background. I write and illustrate children's books (Kindle, Kindle Fire, iPad) and I'm based near Stirling. Best wishes."D.H. Thanks and welcome to the group! One of my sons is a talented artist and just got his degree in Graphic arts. That's what he wants to do, illustrations. He's been an arborist for the last 14 years. I will check out your books for my grand children!
Peggy wrote: "D.H. wrote: "Hello Peggy, I'm a writer, and illustrator with an advertising & design agency background. I write and illustrate children's books (Kindle, Kindle Fire, iPad) and I'm based near Stirli..."Hi Peggy, well you should just keep pestering your son until he gives it a go. Obviously it's not easy, but sometimes you just need to be making an effort and be in the right place at the right time.
From New Jersey in the States. Greetings to all. Excited to join the challenge!
Robin wrote: "From New Jersey in the States. Greetings to all. Excited to join the challenge!"Very glad to have you with us, Robin!
Hello! I'm a little late to this challenge. But since I've already read two books by Scottisk writers in January, I'll try this challenge. I'm joining at the Hebridean level. I come from Finland, I have book blog in Swedish(http://pepparkaksbokhyllan.wordpress....), and I love books from Scotland!
Sarapepparkaka wrote: "Hello! I'm a little late to this challenge. But since I've already read two books by Scottisk writers in January, I'll try this challenge. I'm joining at the Hebridean level. I come from Finland, I..."Glad you joined us Sara!
Hello, I am Nicole from Germany. I love Scotland and I love to read Scottish books.
I will go for Ben Nevis, since I read a lot and most of my books are Scottish.
Since 2010 we go to Scotland every summer and I try to read books from the area we will visit before each holiday. This year we will go to Lewis/Harris and Uist. I am looking forward to find books set in that area. I have Peter May's Lewis Trilogy on my list and Dark Ship by Anne MacLeod. Other suggestions are very much welcome.
Nicole wrote: "Hello, I am Nicole from Germany. I love Scotland and I love to read Scottish books.
I will go for Ben Nevis, since I read a lot and most of my books are Scottish.
Since 2010 we go to Scotland ev..."
Welcome Nicole! Looking forwRd to see what you read.
Hello, I'm Alan from the Ayrshire Coast. Stephen invited me on this group and I also know Peggy, who is the best! I'm going to sign up for the 4 book challenge as my reading time is very limited at the moment. I've read surprisingly few Scottish books but I did return to Lewis Grassic Gibbon's 'A Scots Quair' after hating it at school, and finding it really enjoyable. James Kelman's 'How late it was, how late' was brilliant but disturbing, and I've read all of Irvine Welsh's books, which are fantastic. Trainspotting is in my top 5 books ever.
Alan wrote: "Hello, I'm Alan from the Ayrshire Coast. Stephen invited me on this group and I also know Peggy, who is the best! I'm going to sign up for the 4 book challenge as my reading time is very limited a..."'A Scot's Quair' is my next read! Looking forward to it. I'm off to look up the other two you mentioned. Glad Stephen thought of inviting you, Alan!
Alan wrote: "Hello, I'm Alan from the Ayrshire Coast. Stephen invited me on this group and I also know Peggy, who is the best! I'm going to sign up for the 4 book challenge as my reading time is very limited a..."
Welcome and good luck with your reading. I read one Kelman books years ago and found it almost impenetrable - I don't think I'll read him again. Welsh - I've enjoyed in the past, but not as many as you.
Welcome and good luck with your reading. I read one Kelman books years ago and found it almost impenetrable - I don't think I'll read him again. Welsh - I've enjoyed in the past, but not as many as you.
Col, Kelman was hard work, but I was glad I read it. I wouldn't necessarily jump in and read another one of his.
Hi there, Richard here i'm from Edinburgh! love reading books set in and around Scotland! love the highlands going up to Fort William and then onto Arisaig next week! so hopefully will try and sneak a few books in on my travels, i will try the Hebridean challenge as i've got a stack of books a mile high to read
Richard wrote: "Hi there, Richard here i'm from Edinburgh! love reading books set in and around Scotland! love the highlands going up to Fort William and then onto Arisaig next week! so hopefully will try and snea..."Richard, glad you came over!
Hi, I'm introducing myself rather late because I forgot to do it before! I'm Jodie (aka GeraniumCat) from the English-Scottish border, and I've signed up for the Highlander, because that's where I grew up. I'm only reading books by women authors, or about Scottish women. But I'm counting authors who moved to Scotland too, if their books are set there.
Hello everyone. This will be my first group challenge. I have set myself a challenge of 52 books this year and, as the first few on my list are the remaining Ian Rankin books that I need to cross off, I thought that I would 'cheat' and join this challenge as well :)I tend to read a lot of crime, so very interested in the 'Tartan Noir' thread, but I will give almost any genre a go. With the possible exception of Romance. No offense meant to fans of that genre, but it has never held much appeal to me for some reason.
My 'guilty pleasure' if you will, is YA fiction, so if anyone has any suggestions for Scottish YA authors I would love to hear them.
Kat wrote: "Hello all! I've just joined. I wish I'd found this group a little sooner, it looks fun! I was born in the US but my family's from Scotland (my last name's Leslie). Unfortunately, I don't reall..."
Welcome Kat! Don't know any books to recommend but here is a great resource to find them. Books from Scotland http://www.booksfromscotland.com/Book... this link should take you to the page list of historical fiction. Look around the sight it is a great resource. We have several members of the group that live in Scotland and might know a good one for you.
Susanna Kearsley is a special Canadian author. She intertwines historical fiction with mysteries uncovered by a present day protagonist. She weaves in a paranormal aura as well. This is my cup of tea versus police angles that many read. "Shadowy Horses", 1997, is in Scotland. You might enjoy the atmosphere of “The Secret Portrait”, Lillian Stewart Carl, 2006and “Legend In Green Velvet”, Elizabeth Peters, 1976.
Kat wrote: "Hello all! I've just joined. I wish I'd found this group a little sooner, it looks fun! I was born in the US but my family's from Scotland (my last name's Leslie). Unfortunately, I don't reall..."
You should definitely follow through on your family history. I am passionate about genealogy and I have traced my ancestors back to Scotland, England and Ireland. Try http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ for a start! Have fun!
My heritage means a lot to me too, which includes Scottish roots. Thank you Teresa. Kat and everyone, I hope my unique angle suits you. :)
Thanks for the links, but they weren't exactly what I'm looking for. I'm interested in well researched historical works; I appreciate books with references and original sources (I'm afraid I'm a bit critical of authors if they haven't done their homework when they're writing on a historical topic). Any suggestions please?
These are valid suggestions. I think you want additional ones! ;) Susanna Kearsley went as far as living in these places, to research right. It's possible they aren't for you. But NOT in terms of weak homework. And Elizabeth Peters (Barbara Mertz)? She worked in archaeology!Frankly I was astounded by the profoundly educational background she took the care to implement, into fictional pages. She goes centuries back. But that's it from me. There must be a specific angle you seek. These ladies are all about digging into their subject.
A recommendation not just for Kat, but for anyone who hasn't read them, the absolute best for historical research was Dorothy Dunnett, who wrote tremendous, complex, six-part sagas full of references, real people and immaculate period detail. Her first series was set in the sixteenth century and tells the story of the possibly mad, probably bad, and definitely dangerous-to-know Francis Lymond. It starts in Scotland but takes in most of Europe and further afield in a great, colourful sprawl. First in the series is The Game of Kings. She followed it with a sort of prequel which is every bit as good and even more tortuous in the complexity of its plot (you get hooked, I promise). There is a good Companion to the Lymond Chronicles to help you follow the references and the bits of history you only know if you had a Scottish education. (I can look out the details if anyone wants them.)If you want a slightly easier start, her novel King Hereafter is the story of Macbeth, set against a very convincing background in which the north of Scotland is still predominantly Norse. Much more plausible than Shakespeare's version!
Finally, she also wrote a series of thrillers, rather in the Elizabeth Peters "Vicky Bliss" style. They are all available on Kindle now, and are great fun. The first is Rum Affair (though you may also find it as Dolly and the Singing Bird).
You know, I had absolutely no idea that Dorothy Dunnett was a Scot. People have been recommending her Lymond books to me for years and I never have got around to them. I really must. The 'Dolly' books look quite good on Fantastic Fiction, will look into those and see if I can find one or two. Thanks for the recs!
C. wrote: "These are valid suggestions. I think you want additional ones! ;)"Hi C., what I meant by well-researched historical fiction are books such as Antonia Fraser's Faith and Treason: The Story of the Gunpowder Plot or Stephen Budiansky's Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage in which the transition between historical fact and the author's thesis on the topic is seamless yet easily identifiable. I am looking for novels which are entirely centered on a specific event, person, or time period in history and do not contain fictional plots or characters (unless history is unclear in the matter and the author's thesis speculates on the unknown factors). They are less dry than a paper but still informative.
Contrary to my Goodreads bookshelf, I am also not a fan of crime fiction, so I appreciate your suggestions! Barbara Mertz seems like an interesting writer. She reminds me of some of the Agatha Christie novels I've read which she wrote during archaeological digs in the middle east. I will be sure to check her out.
Yes, I know what you mean and I stand by my suggestions that these ARE extremely well-researched authors (fiction or not), where the transition *IS* clear. However you aren't into fiction and that's fine. I merely wished to clarify that being 'weak researchers', or 'not expert' in their subjects, wasn't the reason to cite.Respectfully, I'm on dial-up with a LOT of content to go through. When I offer to comment on a post, it's time I've contributed genially. I can't search back for further replies or clarification on the matter. Enjoy whatever you find!
Not set in Scotland, but one of the most enjoyable Historical Fiction novels I've read was Sharon Kay Penman's The Sunne in Splendor, about Richard the Third and his family and his rise to the throne. Quite captivating. I will never again think of Richard in the way Shakespeare has portrayed him. After reading the book I could understand why there is a Richard the Third Society.
Hi, I'm Beth from northern Indiana. I stumbled upon this group as I was doing a search for book clubs for books based in Scotland/Ireland. I'm so excited to be here! For some reason my heart belongs in Scotland. :)
Perhaps I'll see you in the Ireland challenge too.
Hi. I'm Claire and Scottish. I thought it was time to purposefully read more Scottish lit as I was watching Trainspotting. So I dragged out my dog-eared copy and waded in. It's the omnibus with The Acid House and Marabou Stork Nightmares. Does that count as one or three? Anyway, as they are fresh reads they are going in my first challenge!
Claire wrote: "Hi. I'm Claire and Scottish. I thought it was time to purposefully read more Scottish lit as I was watching Trainspotting. So I dragged out my dog-eared copy and waded in. It's the omnibus with The..."Claire wrote: "Hi. I'm Claire and Scottish. I thought it was time to purposefully read more Scottish lit as I was watching Trainspotting. So I dragged out my dog-eared copy and waded in. It's the omnibus with The..."
Three Clair!
Hi I'm Jim - living in Ayrshire.Just came across your blog and Read Scotland 2014. Great idea to start a challenge like this!
Last Xmas I set my own challenge in slightly different terms. Living in Ayrshire and being so aware of the big year for Scotland, I decided just to read only Scottish books for the year. No targets as such.
I’ve read a number off my list already, so I’ll target a ‘Ben Nevis’ for you.
I’m trying to review or comment on them in Goodreads but I don’t think I’m great at writing reviews – I seek to improve.
Jim wrote: "Hi I'm Jim - living in Ayrshire.Just came across your blog and Read Scotland 2014. Great idea to start a challenge like this!
Last Xmas I set my own challenge in slightly different terms. Living ..."
Jim, so glad you joined us! Looking forward to see what you read and picking up some new authors from you! Already found one, Janice Galloway! Have to read her book The Trick is to Keep Breathing!
I am an Australian author of Scottish/Irish ancestry with a debut novel set in medieval Scotland. I have held a lifelong interest in both the middle ages and Scotland in that period. Nigel Tranter is a great favourite of mine.I saw Roman Polanski's film version of Macbeth when I was ten, up late when I shouldn't of been and was mesmerised by the most fiendish delicious nightmare ...
Here is a look at my novel for lovers of Scottish history and a good story. By the way, I explore in my novel the early history of many prominent Scots families.
Celtic Blood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggy-p6...
http://tinyurl.com/CelticBloodPB
James wrote: "I am an Australian author of Scottish/Irish ancestry with a debut novel set in medieval Scotland. I have held a lifelong interest in both the middle ages and Scotland in that period. Nigel Trante..."Thanks for stopping in and telling us about your book, James! It sounds very good, will make a mention of it on my blog too.
Thanks so much Peggy.I'll send you a personal message with my email so I can send you a FREE copy!
Hi everyone,I am a Scottish author who writes Crime Thrillers and Science Fiction.
My first 2 novels are Time to Kill and Zero Hour.
I am currently having a Goodreads Giveaway for the chance to win one of 3 SIGNED copies of Zero Hour.
For more information about my novels you can click on the links here or check out www.dmbaillie.com
P.S. Time To Kill is on special offer now, for a limited time only.
Read Scotland 2014
Books mentioned in this topic
Time to Kill (other topics)Zero Hour (other topics)
Celtic Blood (other topics)
Faith and Treason: The Story of the Gunpowder Plot (other topics)
Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage (other topics)
More...
I live in Livingston, just outside Edinburgh and I'm sure I have a few Scottish books in tbr list to get me started.