2022 Buddy Read: Scottish Authors

[Lesle, Appalachian Bibliophile]

Has anyone read The Beach of Falesá it follows the genre Realism and I guess Wilde didnt care much for this writing style from him.

[John]

I've never read this one Lesle, and it looks interesting. Its short enough to read with my other Scottish novel for September, so I've ordered a copy today (no library in Glasgow has a copy, which is disappointing).

Thanks for letting us know about it.

[Brian E]

I plan to read A.J. Cronin's The Keys of the Kingdom as a Scottish read in November. I'm pretty booked in September and October but, if time opens up, will also slip in D.E. Stevenson's Miss Buncle Married . Both books are sitting pretty on the shelf above my computer and will definitely be read by the end of this year - my vow to myself and whatever Scottish ancestors I may possibly have but am as yet unaware of.

[John]

Brian wrote: "I plan to read A.J. Cronin's The Keys of the Kingdom as a Scottish read in November. I'm pretty booked in September and Oc..."

These both sound excellent Brian - I'm sure you'll achieve your vow.

According to my last "Ancestry" update, I'm 46% Scottish, 25% English, 24% Irish, 3% Welsh, and 2% Sweden & Denmark........anyone fancy a Scandinavian Buddy Read in 2024?????

[Lesle, Appalachian Bibliophile]

John wrote: "I've never read this one Lesle, and it looks interesting. Its short enough to read with my other Scottish novel for September, so I've ordered a copy today (no library in Glasgow has a copy, which ..."

I am ordering it to.

[Brian E]

Brian wrote: "I plan to read A.J. Cronin's The Keys of the Kingdom ... if time opens up, will also slip in D.E. Stevenson's Miss Buncle Married ..."

And, I forgot that while I enjoy reading books by Scottish-born writers like A.J. Cronin and D.E. Stevenson, I really should read a book set in Scotland too. So I plan to return to the streets of Glasgow as I bought the other 2 books in the Laidlaw trilogy, The Papers of Tony Veitch and Strange Loyalties. Although they aren't technically "classics," they provide a look at Scottish life that this buddy read has encouraged me to explore. I hope to get to one or both by the end of this year of the Scottish read.

[Pam, Southwest Enchanter]

I don’t think I’ve ever read a Scottish author, that I know of, so I’ll join in the fun! I’ll give The Beach of Falesá a try. I should have it in a few days from the library. Thanks for the suggestion Lesle.

[John]

Sandy wrote: "John wrote: "According to my last "Ancestry" update, I'm 46% Scottish, 25% English, 24% Irish, 3% Welsh, and 2% Sweden & Denmark........anyone fancy a Scandinavian Buddy Read in 2024?????"

Conside..."

2023 is already looking busy for the group with some great reads, so 2024 might be more realistic, Sandy. And it would be fantastic if you participated.

[John]

Brian wrote: "Brian wrote: "I plan to read A.J. Cronin's The Keys of the Kingdom ... if time opens up, will also slip in D.E. Stevenson's Miss Buncle Married ..."

..."

Delighted to see that you're reading the rest of the Laidlaw trilogy, Brian. I enjoyed them all, although the first book was always my favourite. Glaswegians of my generation, especially if from the east end of the city, were able to recognize in the first book one or two infamous residents. I look forward to your reviews.

[John]

Pam wrote: "I don’t think I’ve ever read a Scottish author, that I know of, so I’ll join in the fun! I’ll give The Beach of Falesá a try. I should have it in a few days from the library. Thanks for the suggest..."

That's excellent Pam, I'm delighted you're joining us; Lesle, who suggested the book, also has it on order.

The summary from Amazon is -

"Originally censored by its British publisher, The Beach at Falesá is a scathing critique of colonialism and economic imperialism that bravely takes on many of the 19th Century’ s strongest taboos: miscegenation, imperialism, and economic exploitation. It does so with a story that features a surprising and beguiling romance between an adventurous British trader and a young island girl, against a background of increasing—and mysterious—hostility. Are the native islanders plotting against the couple, or is it the other white traders? The result is a denouement that is astonishing in its violence. Told in the unadorned voice of the trader, it is a story that deftly combines the form of the exotic adventure yarn with the moral and psychological questing of great fiction"

Stevenson wrote in a number of genres, but I think this was his first move from Romance to Realism.

[Lesle, Appalachian Bibliophile]

John wrote: "According to my last "Ancestry" update, I'm 46% Scottish, 25% English, 24% Irish, 3% Welsh, and 2% Sweden & Denmark........anyone fancy a Scandinavian Buddy Read in 2024????..."

Well John according to my "Ancestry" I am:
35% England & Northwestern Europe
23% Scotland
21% German
9% Wales
7% Ireland
and sprinklings of Northern Italy and Jewish (European)

[John]

Lesle wrote: "John wrote: "According to my last "Ancestry" update, I'm 46% Scottish, 25% English, 24% Irish, 3% Welsh, and 2% Sweden & Denmark........anyone fancy a Scandinavian Buddy Read in 2024????..."

Well ..."

Now that's quite a volatile mixture Lesle!

[Lesle, Appalachian Bibliophile]

😉

[John]

I've just finished Bodies in a Bookshop, which was definitely a fun read - lots of interesting characters, but a bit thin on plot. I think I'll be reading more of Prof Stubbs.

It was good timing, as my copy of The Beach of Falesá arrives today, and I hope to start that tonight. (With some feelings of guilt that I haven't finished my August choice yet).

[John]

I've just finished The Beach of Falesá - its extremely short, basically a novella, or longish short story.

Its interesting, unlike anything I've read from Robert Louis Stevenson. It certainly paints a damning picture of Western colonials, including the main protagonist.

I'm glad I read it, and I want to check out some of the other stories from his time in the South Seas.

[Melanie]

I just finished Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart. Her romantic suspense books are so satisfying. An exotic locale, an enigmatic hero, and I'm happy. This one takes place on the Isle of Skye in 1953. Very atmospheric, and the Black Cuillin and Mount Blaven play a big part in the story.

[John]

Melanie wrote: "I just finished Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart. Her romantic suspense books are so satisfying. An exotic locale, an enigmatic hero, and I'm happy. This one take..."

I'm glad you enjoyed it Melanie. I've not yet read any of her books, but I see that her Wiki entry states that she "developed the romantic mystery genre, featuring smart, adventurous heroines who could hold their own in dangerous situations."

I plan to read The Crystal Cave when it's on the group's schedule in December - will you be reading that one?

[John]

I finished my poetry choice for September - The Storm and Other Poems by George Mackay Brown; it was better than I expected - although it was his first published collection, you can already see the poet he was to become, and the Orcadian themes he followed throughout his life.

But it was very short, so I might try to squeeze in another of his early books if I can.

[Melanie]

John wrote: "Melanie wrote: "I just finished Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart. Her romantic suspense books are so satisfying. An exotic locale, an enigmatic hero, and I'm happ..."

John, thanks for pointing that out. Yes, I would like to read The Crystal Cave in December. I haven't read her Arthurian Sagas.

[Luís]

I second The Citadel as belonging to a scottish author.

[Melanie]

I think for my September selection I'm going to read Margot Bennett's The Man Who Didn't Fly. At some point I'm going to read The Widow of Bath but I can get the former as an e-book from the library now so I'll read that one first.

[John]

Melanie wrote: "I think for my September selection I'm going to read Margot Bennett's The Man Who Didn't Fly. At some point I'm going to read The Widow of Bath but I can get the form..."

I haven't read any of Bennett, so I look forward to hearing your opinion. I read that in 1958 a young William Shatner appeared in a TV adaptation of The Man Who Didn't Fly.

[Shaina]

Melanie, I read The Widow of Bath last year and enjoyed it. I am yet to read The Man Who Didn't Fly.

Though I didn't plan to read Scottish authors it just so happens I'm reading Michael Innes Inspector Appleby series and I read quite a bit of R.L. Stevenson ( I'll add the link later from my Laptop).

[John]

Luís wrote: "I second The Citadel as belonging to a scottish author."

It's a very good book, Luis - a few of us read it back in May as part of this Buddy Read.

[John]

Shaina wrote: "Melanie, I read The Widow of Bath last year and enjoyed it. I am yet to read The Man Who Didn't Fly.

Though I didn't plan to read Scottish authors it just so happens I'm reading Michael Innes Ins..."

That's a long series, Shaina!

I loved the description in Wiki that "His mysteries have also been described as combining "the elliptical introspection ... [of] a Jamesian character's speech, the intellectual precision of a Conradian description, and the amazing coincidences that mark any one of Hardy's plots"

[Chad]

I’m finally getting around to starting The Great Push. I enjoy WW1 history very much.

[Chad]

I do hope that Patrick MacGill qualifies.

[Melanie]

Shaina wrote: "Melanie, I read The Widow of Bath last year and enjoyed it. I am yet to read The Man Who Didn't Fly.

Though I didn't plan to read Scottish authors it just so happens I'm reading Michael Innes Ins..."

Shaina, I didn't realize that Innes was a Scottish author! I'll definitely read one of his Inspector Appleby books as a buddy read.

[John]

Chad wrote: "I do hope that Patrick MacGill qualifies."

Sadly he doesn't, Chad (although his Children of the Dead End would qualify, as its set in Scotland).

But don't let it put you off reading The Great Push, which is an excellent book.

[John]

Shaina and Melanie - I'd be happy to join in a buddy read of an Inspector Appleby book - is there one that you can both agree on?

[Shaina]

John wrote: "Shaina wrote: "Melanie, I read The Widow of Bath last year and enjoyed it. I am yet to read The Man Who Didn't Fly.

Though I didn't plan to read Scottish authors it just so happens I'm reading Mi..."

John, the description on Wiki sounds about right. I must say though Lament for a Maker is a book I quite enjoyed thanks to the Scottish setting, local colour, and language/ slang/ dialect used. It was eerie too!

[Chad]

John wrote: "Chad wrote: "I do hope that Patrick MacGill qualifies."

Sadly he doesn't, Chad (although his Children of the Dead End would qualify, as its set in Scotland).

But don..."
Thanks John, I think that I have a copy of Children of the Dead End. I’ll take a look.

[Shaina]

Melanie wrote: "Shaina wrote: "Melanie, I read The Widow of Bath last year and enjoyed it. I am yet to read The Man Who Didn't Fly.

Though I didn't plan to read Scottish authors it just so happens I'm reading Mi..."

I too didn't realise it. Let's call it serendipity. I'm reading the series as a buddy read with a GR group. We read an Appleby book every alternate month. I have The Daffodil Affair coming up Nov/Dec.

[Shaina]

John wrote: "Shaina and Melanie - I'd be happy to join in a buddy read of an Inspector Appleby book - is there one that you can both agree on?"

I'm happy to discuss any of the books selected in the series. I would recommend Death at the President's Lodging, Hamlet, Revenge!, Lament for a Maker or The Secret Vanguard.

[Melanie]

Shaina, thanks for the recommendations! I don't think I have read any of them and it's going to be hard to choose. I do love a death during a play production, so how about Hamlet, Revenge? Is that okay with you, John?

[Melanie]

Another option would be Lament for a Maker which also looks really good.

[John]

I'm happy with either, Melanie - so perhaps go with your first choice, and one of Shaina's recommendations - Hamlet, Revenge! ?

[Melanie]

Sounds good!

[Luís]

Another Scottish Author/Work you may include:

Obras sobre Religião by David Hume

I intend to read it in Portuguese.

[John]

Luís wrote: "Another Scottish Author/Work you may include:

Obras sobre Religião by David Hume

I intend to read it in Portuguese."

Excellent Luis - I think that's the first philosophy book to be included in this buddy read!

[John]

Melanie wrote: "Sounds good!"

Are we all OK to read it this month?

[Luís]

John wrote: "Luís wrote: "Another Scottish Author/Work you may include:

Obras sobre Religião by David Hume

I intend to read it in Portuguese."

Excellent Luis - I think that's t..."

Great!

[Melanie]

John wrote: "Melanie wrote: "Sounds good!"

Are we all OK to read it this month?"

I'm OK to read it this month!

[Shaina]

Yes, I will chip in as I read it a few months ago!

[John]

Excellent - copy downloaded to my Kindle now!

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I got The Daffodil Affair from Libby since they didn't have any of the others mentioned above. I've read Death at the President's Lodging and really enjoyed it.

[John]

Rosemarie wrote: "I got The Daffodil Affair from Libby since they didn't have any of the others mentioned above. I've read Death at the President's Lodging and really enjoyed it."

Thanks for the mention of Death at the President's Lodging, Rosemary - that one's available from Libby in Glasgow so I might try it next.

[Chad]

I just read A Pastoral Horror, one of his non Sherlock Holmes stories and it got me to thinking that I’ll read The Lost World for this month. I have not picked out any poetry yet.

[Melanie]

I was thinking of reading some Arthur Conan Doyle in October. Either The Rule of Four, which I haven’t read, or a non-fiction like his letters to his mother.

[Pam, Southwest Enchanter]

Just FYI, for any of you on Facebook, there is a group called Five Books which has posts that highlight 5 books with a specific focus. Today's post is Landmarks of Scottish Literature with recommendations by author James Robertson. The books mentioned are The Heart of Mid-Lothian by Walter Scott, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by RL Stevenson, Gillespie by John MacDougall Hay, The Grampian Quartet by Nan Shepherd and Silence by James Kennaway.