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Top 5 Scottish Books
The success of JK Rowling’s series of magical Harry Potter tales is just the latest chapter in a long literary tradition in Scotland.
From a national bard celebrated the world over every Burns Night to the gritty contemporary stories of Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin, Scottish writers have produced some of the most enduring literary characters; Sherlock Holmes, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Miss Jean Brodie, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Long John Silver, Toad of Toad Hall…the list goes on.
One of Scotland’s fastest growing and most popular destinations for book lovers from around the globe is Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town, nestled in the heart of rural Dumfries and Galloway.
We asked Wigtown Literary Festival Chairman, Michael McCreath, to pick his top 5 Scottish books…
“I’ve chosen five old Scottish books because of the abundance of out-of-print books available in Wigtown,” Michael explained, “rather than because of any aversion to contemporary Scottish literature!
“I wanted to pick books that are a great read but also reflect how fantastic Scotland is. So, in no particular order, here’s my selection. I hope you enjoy reading them.”
The Master of Ballantrae: A Winter’s Tale
By Robert Louis Stevenson
“This is one of Stevenson’s most underrated novels but it’s a beautifully written parable of the prodigal son, set in Scotland at a time when the new worlds were opening up. The laird’s eldest son travels to India while his second son stays at home in Scotland.
“It really brings to life the part that Scots played in the world at that time, and it’s a beautiful study of the relationship between Scots who go abroad and Scots who stay at home.”
In Search of Scotland
By HV Morton
“This is still one of the best Scottish guide books you can get, even though it was first published back in 1928. Morton was an English journalist and he has a real eye for a story. This is the tale of his driving tour round Scotland in the 1920s, starting in the Borders, heading through Edinburgh and round the Highlands. He weaves historic stories with anecdotes and fantastic insights. It’s brilliantly written and although it’s a travel book, you can read it like a novel.”
The Ridiculous Mountains
By GJS Dutton
“This book is almost unknown but it’s very amusing and a fantastic book if you’re even remotely considering going hill walking in Scotland. It’s a series of very funny stories about the narrator and his friends, including an eccentric character known as ‘the doctor’. Their walking expeditions invariably begin and end in the pub.”
Weathering
By Alastair Reid
“Alastair Reid grew up in Scotland but he has lived all over the world – Majorca, South America, the Dominican Republic. He has kept in touch with Scotland all his life and this book of poetry is a wonderfully unpretentious collection that captures the essence of Scotland as seen by someone who knows it but is looking in from the outside. He really captures the moods and nuances of Scotland.”
The 39 Steps
By John Buchan
“This was a really popular book in its time, a real bestseller. It’s not his best book; it’s not as complicated as some of his others and many people don’t rate his literary style, but it has real pace. Once you pick it up, you don’t want to put it down, which is an underrated trait.
“The plot is identical to the plot of the Da Vinci Code in that the hero is passed a secret code and falsely accused of murder. He has to buy enough time to decipher the message and deliver it to the good guys. He can’t afford to fall into the hands of the bad guys and he can’t turn himself in because no one would believe his story.
“He heads for Galloway in Scotland because it’s the nearest wild place he can think of to hide and the book really brings out an aspect of Scotland and Scottishness.”
About Wigtown Book Town
Ten years ago, Wigtown was the location of Scotland’s largest second-hand book shop but many other shops in the town were boarded up and unused. The community saw an opportunity to regenerate the area by transforming Wigtown into the centre of Scotland’s book trade.
Michael McCreath picks up the story: “The idea worked brilliantly. Property was incredibly cheap and people moved here from all over the UK to get out of the rat race and enjoy an easier pace of life, surrounded by natural beauty.
“We now have around 24 book shops, book dealers and publishers, as well as craft and gift shops, and the literary festivals. It’s an industry that’s popular all year-round, not just in the summer.
“The success of Wigtown Book Town has been great for this corner of Scotland generally. People who come to Wigtown because of the books and the festivals take more interest in the local area, the gardens, restaurants, the early Christian history.”
This year’s Wigtown Literary Festival takes place from September 23rd to October 2nd. Find out more details at: www.wigtown-booktown.co.uk
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