Scotland Books

I read this book while in Scotland. I have a good friend from Glasgow and I felt as though she was reading the book outloud to me. It is written in the accent of Glasgow and takes a page or two to get used to the writing - but adds charm to the book. Buddha Da is a wonderful novel that touches a subject at the heart of family life, as one member of the family develops a spiritual direction unfamiliar to the others. The question of whether to support this individual's quest or try to pull him back into the family is what a daughter and wife grapple with. A wonderful read - I recommend it!

I like this novel so much that I'm going to use it as a set book in a college class. It's original, touching and funny--full of the compassion and insight that its main character, Jimmy, seeks. After a few paragraphs I settled into the Glaswegian dialect easily. It's hard for a teacher to find a well written novel that isn't depressing. This is the only one on my short list (Brian Moore's Feast of Lupercal and Keneally's Passenger were others, but Donovan gives the reader at least as much as either of these and is in print).

At first, I was afraid of the Scottish dialect in which this is written, but after three pages it failed to register any longer except as how these characters talked and thought. Don't miss this book because of the dialect -- I almost did and I would have greatly regretted it.

Buddha Da weaves together the story of three members of a family -- Da, Ma, and Anne Marie, their daughter -- and does it seamlessly into a story of fallout, faith, hunger, and redemption. It is just about a flawless book, flawlessly told. I don't know the last time I found a book as dramatically pleasing and logically coherent and consistent as Buddha Da. It is a masterpiece I will recommend to everyone interested in Buddhism, family life, or just good fiction. I look forward to the author's next book.

OK. First of all, understand that this book is written entirely in phoenetically spelled Glaswegian dialect. And for the first few chapters, it can stand in the way. And then you get the rhythm. And then it doesn't matter. And you have achieved what the quirky main character in this book, a Glasgow house painter named Jimmy, is trying so hard to achieve--simplicity and clarity.

The charming and very quirky story revolves around a working-class family in Glasgow, Scotland. The dad (or "da," as they say), Jimmy, owns the house-painting business with his brother John. His wife, Liz, his sweetheart since she was 14, is a secretary. Their only daughter, Anne-Marie, is herself 14, and simply loveable--the most centered character in the book.

Sensing some sort of inner turmoil, Jimmy is drawn to the local Buddhist center (we are talking about a working class beer drinking simple soul whose previous idea of humor was to moon for the video camera) and finds a sense of self he never had before. As he earnestly seeks to immerse himself in this new way of being, he becomes increasingly neglectful of his family--up to and including declaring to Liz that he must be celibate from now on! The story is told first person from alternating points of view, and the reader is sympathetic to all of them (at least I was).

The disarming simplicity of the tale, and the work it takes to overcome the dialect, mirrors Jimmy's immersion into Buddhism, and is simply brilliant. This is a completely different kind of book, and well worth reading. I loved it and recommend it with the caveat that it is a book that takes some work.

Its seldom that a book comes into my world that is different in almost every conceivable way from anything you have read before. Buddha Da maybe be one of the most unique works of fiction that I have ever worked my way through.

Basically the book is a mere snippet in the lives of a Scottish Family. The father becomes immersed in Buddhism and changes to the extent where his marriage breaks down. Not the happiest outcome in the world but the storyline is not the strength of this book. The entire thing is written in a series of monlogues, each character expressing how they are feeling about things and discussing the latest events. Rather than Donovan trying to explain to you how her creations are feeling she allows them to do it directly to you - amost as if they are each working on personal diaries and you are diary they are writing on. This angle allows you to get really quite deeply into the characters and makes you feel like much more of a fly on the wall than is typical.

The barrier to many Americans reading this book however is going to be the language the monologues are in. They are written 'with accent' and much of it is phonetic.

"At the coffee break the wumman came ower and sat beside me. She wis tall wi her hair cut dead short and she'd these big dangly earings jinglin fae her lugs. It wis hard tae work oot whit age she wis; could have been anythin far thirty-five tae forty-five. She wis dressed in black wi a flowery-patterned shawl thing flung ower her shooders."

What folk need to understand is that familiarity to a Glaswegian accent is something that is common to almost all people in the world and is as foreign to an Englishman living in London as it is to a resident of San Deigo. A little effort is required to read the first few chapers but after a while you forget about the lack of real words and instead literally hear your characters - Donovan by forcing you to acknowledge the accent brings her characters to life.

Its a good enough book to give it a shot at any rate. Is this a rave review? Nope. Frankly I thought that Anne Donovan did a fine job with the adults in the book but the character of the daughter was something unreal. It was like Donovan has been an adult to long to set herself inside the mind of a child and I thought the character and the things she achieves are just a little boring and lifeless. Fortunatly she isnt in the book often enough to spoil it completely however I'm not sure she really needed to be in there at all - a couple of years older and she may have been a more interesting subject to deal with but alas ...

From a lawyers perspective, fascinating. Five out of five, Duncan.

englishsilk1967@aol.com

I have to admit, I am not persuaded by written word unless it targets my passion. Let's face it, we have seen and read plenty of "crime and drug drama" in our American cinematic and literary culture. How much do we really know about this subject abroad? What REALLY goes on in the European culture? Scotland Yard has always been a fascinating topic, since our knowledge of the crime/drug scene is determined by what we have seen and read in, and on the American screen. British crime drama has been Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Morse, (played by John Thaw) Inspector Dalgliesh, written by P.D. James (played by Roy Marsden), Agatha Christie, (played by several wonderful actresses including my favorite, Margaret Rutherford) However, when it comes to Mr. MacLaughlin's VERY REAL portrayal of Scotland Yard, I have to tell you, I was mesmerized and fascinated.

Duncan MacLaughlin gives an enduring portrayal of his introduction and desire for his vocation in this book. His father (bless his soul) gave his life for the cause, and little Duncan was drawn into this "life" early on.

As a police constable (PC) Duncan began this life. He was indoctrinated with his first of many cases, the first of several funny, but very dark situations he later writes about.

The first that came to my mind from the book was from the "First Body" chapter...can you imagine? A poor bloke just trying to take a "piss" on a live train rail, his life going up in flames, his own body flamed and ashed -- when young PC MacLaughlin and his superior got there, the poor bloke was a heap of cinders. Seems his natural bodily functions, which needed to urinate (on the live rails), burned him into the finest of ashes......hence his funeral.

That is only the beginning of the many stories, albeit TRUE stories of how this man went from Police Constable to a member of the "Filth." There are many fascinating encounters of how Mr. MacLaughlin became a higher rank official of the Filth, told with such riveting detail that you are glued to this book from beginning to end.

I won't go into detail about the "Carpet Sweeper" or being trained in determining what the "Pothole" ensued.....(oh, excuse me while I take a moment to BREATHE deeply...oh, all right..I am better now (I think!)...I will be able to read on now.

All in all, Mr. MacLaughlin's book is a fascinating detail of Scotland Yard's beginning to end of how the department works and how you become a member of the "Filth."

Well done!!

But those are fictional retellings -- And from page one it's very clear that this is not fiction.

It is a rare person who can understand the unfolding of their own life with clarity and objectivity, even in hindsight. Rarer still is someone who can relate the saga to others in a way that sweeps them up into the tale and makes them feel they've been part of it. Duncan MacLaughlin has both those gifts.

By devoting the first 50 pages of The Filth to his childhood, the author enables us to grow with him in conviction and understanding. That background, together with a style of storytelling that blends irrepressible wit, complete lack of self aggrandizement, step-by-step build up, and gritty detail, makes it seem perfectly natural to have progressed from childhood camping trips to camouflaged hide outs nearly under the feet of Sunday picnickers.

The second fifty pages take us through the author's early days as a 'bobby on the beat' and the rigorous training program that makes London's police force into a world renowned entity. In those pages we discover that everything we suspect about our local police force is probably true...And that truth can provide more humor than fiction. However we're also acquainted with the facts of police life and work that make us all grateful to have them right where they are: Standing between the criminal element and the rest of us; Handling the problems we'd rather not have to see; and -- eternally -- There when we need them most.

The final 3/5ths of the book is dedicated to MacLaughlin's work with Scotland Yard's Criminal Investigative Division, "The Filth" of the title. From the numerous moments when his life was on the line, to details of training programs even many of the 'best of the best' couldn't stay the course for, to the deep camaraderie that goes hand in glove with living in those situations, once again we are privileged with a true glimpse inside a world most of us can only guess at.

Beyond the heart-stopping drama and unprecedented inside information, the thing that impressed me most about The Filth was Detective MacLaughlin's feeling for the people involved in each facet of his work: The human tragedy of the victims and their families; The understanding for how the backgrounds of those who became his sources led them to the positions in which he found them; The unfailing commitment to protecting those sources; and, overall, The dedication to keeping the world as safe as possible for the rest of us. He makes no bones about the fact that corners are cut and that neither he, nor the force, were squeaky clean. However The Filth also makes it clear that there are some corners that will never be cut.

The author's adherence to his own code of honor and priorities with regard to the people he values were dramatically underscored in an on-air publicity appearance for The Filth on the BBC last year. MacLaughlin's answer when asked the best thing about having had a book published, reflects the inimitable style that grounds this saga. The author responded, "Quite honestly, it's allowed me to be in contact via a third party with the guy responsible for my father's death. I was able to put him on notice that his days are numbered; That I intended killing the person who shot my father and what's more, that I'm smart and would never be caught."

The elder MacLaughlin, a Royal Marine Commando and medical doctor, was shot in Northern Ireland during one of the first major skirmishes of that conflict. One of the most poignant passages in The Filth relates a conversation in which MacLaughlin and his father discuss what happened the day a sniper targeted the author's father over and over as he drove an ambulance through the embattled streets in an effort to save wounded civilians. He saw the gunman firing at him, but his inability to positively identify the weapon that had been used (and unwillingness to lie about the fact when asked) allowed the man charged with the sniper attack to walk free -- and to spit at his victim's feet as he passed.

In the quoted exchange, MacLaughlin Sr asks his son what he would have done in similar circumstances. As true to his own code when being put on the spot by his lifelong hero as he was throughout his career, the author responded that he'd have said whatever was necessary to ensure the guilty party went to prison. That answer led his father to question the state of his son's conscience...A question he might well reiterate if he'd been alive to hear the BBC interview. But after reading The Filth, one thing is abundantly clear: Duncan MacLaughlin will deal with life on his own terms, according to his own deeply held ethics.

As several other reviewers have noted, the ending makes it clear that another book will be forthcoming. The next one is sure to be an even more suspense-packed read focusing wholly on his days with the elite squads, as well as the internal politics and grudges only briefly mentioned here, that led MacLaughlin to leave the force.

I wrote to the author before submitting this review and was delighted to find that we have a third book to look forward to as well. It seems that, true to the international sleuth image we've been introduced to here, the former detective has dedicated the past year to cracking one of the world's great unsolved mysteries. It will be no surprise to his readers that the case of the missing earl was no match for his skills. There's now at least one person in the world who knows exactly what happened to Britain's infamous Lord Lucan after he disappeared the night his wife was attacked and his children's nanny murdered a quarter century ago.

The rest of us will have to wait for the book.

"The Englishman is at his best the moment another man starts throwing a ball at him," wrote German novelist and poetess Vita Sackville-West in 1947. "He is then neither spiteful, nor vindictive, nor mean, nor querulous, nor desirous of taking unfair advantage; he is law-abiding, and respects the regulations which he or his ancestors have generally made; he assumes that his adversary will respect them likewise; and he would be profoundly shocked by any attempt to cheat." Believe me, such a statement does not apply to Scotland Yard detectives - well at least not to one!

Using The Filth as a guide-stick, I'd hazard a guess London detectives lack all of the 'oh so English' traits an American would expect from an Englishman, as described by Ms. Sackville-West.

When the British Airlines flight attendant showed me to my seat aboard the aircraft at London Heathrow, I confess, the unkempt casual appearance of my neighboring passenger ('The Filth' author Duncan MacLaughlin) slumped in the gray leather upholstery beside me made me think, "Is this really Concorde, or am I flying coach on a US carrier?" By the time we landed at NY, I was infatuated by the unassuming, shy, but charming ex-undercover cop, and unsuccessfully attempted to purchase 'The Filth' at JFK before catching my connecting flight home. I have since bought the book via Amazon (and Duncan, it remains unsigned!).

'The Filth' takes the reader on MacLaughlin's journey as a London detective, tackling serious crime in both the UK and further afield, touching briefly upon his adventures here in California and elsewhere in the US.

In short, it's an eye opener and if ever made into a movie, I demand the right to play the part of his American distraction.

"The Englishman is at his best the moment another man starts throwing a ball at him," wrote German novelist and poetess Vita Sackville-West in 1947. "He is then neither spiteful, nor vindictive, nor mean, nor querulous, nor desirous of taking unfair advantage; he is law-abiding, and respects the regulations which he or his ancestors have generally made; he assumes that his adversary will respect them likewise; and he would be profoundly shocked by any attempt to cheat." Believe me, such a statement does not apply to Scotland Yard detectives - well at least not to one!

Using The Filth as a guide-stick, I'd hazard a guess London detectives lack all of the 'oh so English' traits an American would expect from an Englishman, as described by Ms. Sackville-West.

When the British Airlines flight attendant showed me to my seat aboard the aircraft at London Heathrow, I confess, the unkempt casual appearance of my neighboring passenger ('The Filth' author Duncan MacLaughlin) slumped in the gray leather upholstery beside me made me think, "Is this really Concorde, or am I flying coach on a US carrier?" By the time we landed at NY, I was infatuated by the unassuming, shy, but charming ex-undercover cop, and unsuccessfully attempted to purchase 'The Filth' at JFK before catching my connecting flight home. I have since bought the book via Amazon (and Duncan, it remains unsigned!).

'The Filth' takes the reader on MacLaughlin's journey as a London detective, tackling serious crime in both the UK and further afield, touching briefly upon his adventures here in California and elsewhere in the US.

In short, it's an eye opener and if ever made into a movie, I demand the right to play the part of his American distraction.

I hadn't even heard of these books until my buddy Kasey told me about them. She would scream about Eddie and Brenda and dead people through the hallways at our school! She's a nut. In a good way. So, this book is about young Cole Sear, who, as we learned in the movie THE SIXTH SENSE, sees dead people. The book opens with him in an art museum with his class. He is pretty bored, that is until he looks out the window and witnesses Flight 333 crash right in front of his eyes. The firefighters climb through the fiery wreckage, to find survivors, but they only find one, and she's barely alive. But Cole sees hundreds of people climb through the flames and debris, all bloody and burned. In other words, dead people. That night, Cole starts getting "visits" from the dead passengers of Flight 333. His first, a 15 year old girl named Marisa, asks him to help her younger sister-the only survivor of the crash. Cole promises to his new, dead friend that he will try to help, so he makes daily visits to her in the hospital. Through the book, Cole also helps the other passengers with their problems, while at the same time trying to find out why the plane crashed in the first place. His only clue is the cockpit recording, with some faint Russian words. But instead of this being helpful, it makes things a little more confusing. . . . .

This is a very interesting book. It was a little young for me when I read it (mostly because the main character was as old as my younger brother) but I still thought it had an excellent storyline. Milly was a very complex and interesting character, and although she was spoiled before she died on the Milly Dear, she had an intriguing sense of mystery about her. At the end of every chapter, I'd want to keep reading. I even read this when a guest speaker was doing a presentation for my class and the teacher slammed it shut. I was being rude, I know, but that only shows how suspenseful and amazing this book is.

This is the best book I have ever read in my life!!! If you like a good spine tingling mystery this is for you. This book will leave you wondering about it way after you read the last page. I have read it 5 times now and it never gets boring I catch something different every time I read. This is my faveorite book ever. The book is suspensful and will take you away from the TV!!! I know it did me. I earge any mystery liver to read the book. It opens your mind to new ideas and brodens your horizens. Go ahead and take a chance, sit down and start reading!!!!!

I really loved this book. I read it a year ago and it is still one of my favorite books. The ghost Milly is really evil but she's makes a really interesting character. This book is a great read for kids around 10-13 maybe a little older even. Deffinetly read this book if you like excitement.

I loved this book!I deffintiley recommend it to a maturereader.I'm 11,and I read it a few years ago.I shouldn't have becausethe graphic detail in this book is a main priorty in the plot. You can really relate to Robin when she is sent off to her grandmother's house.As far as she knows,she's going to spend a boring,hot summer by the coast.But she never thought she'd find a real ghost!This is an action-packed thriller,pageturner filled with suspense,mystery,horror and drama.

Sir Walter Scott's second novel GUY MANNERING; OR, THE ASTROLOGER is built around three sets of incidents spread out between +/- 1760 and +/- 1782.

--First incidents: around 1760 Guy Mannering, English, fresh out of Oxford University and on a walking and painting tour, finds shelter from the elements in a manor house called Ellangowan in Galloway in Southwestern Scotland. There he is hosted by its Laird, Godfrey Bertram, who is dining with his companion, the absent-minded, taciturn Presbyterian non-pulpited divine, Dominie Abel Sampson. The night of Mannering's arrival, Lady Bertram gives birth to her first child, a son, Henry, later usually styled Harry.

As a joke, Guy Mannering draws on now passe astrological lore he had picked up from an early mentor. Mannering casts young Harry's horoscope. He had once before cast a horoscope: his girl friend's, and foreseen that that 18 year old would either die or be imprisoned at age 38. He now foresees a similar negative rhythm for the infant Harry: big trouble or great danger at ages 4, 10 and 20. Mannering's horoscope is wrapped up and hung around the infant's neck. It is still there to identify him 20 or 21 years later.

On that birthing occasion we also meet a six-feet tall, broad Lowland Scots-speaking gypsy woman, Meg Merrilies. Meg is come to keep away evil spirits from the first-born son of a family that has allowed loyal Meg's tribe to squat on Bertram land for centuries. Her first words are a chant:

"Canny moment, lucky fit;
Is the lady lighter yet?
Be it lad, or be it lass,
Sign wi' cross, and sain wi' mass." (Book I. Ch. 3)

Meg foresees that young Harry will live a full 70 years but with three major breaks in his upward course, followed by three re-stitchings of his predestined path. We also overhear a meeting between the gypsy woman and a smuggling German sea captain, Dirk Hattaraick.

--Second set of incidents: four years later, around 1764, the ambitious but impoverished Laird Bertram was appointed a justice of the peace. His devious estate manager and lawyer Gilbert Glossin was made a minor justice official. Good natured Bertram's new self-image required him to crack down uncharacteristically both on smugglers from the nearby Isle of Man and on the gypsies whose presence both his ancestors for centuries and he had tolerated. The Laird became great chums with revenue agent Frank Kennedy. Months later Kennedy snatched away from the boy's tutor, Dominie Sampson, four-year old Harry Bertram to let the youngster enjoy watching the arrest of Captain Hattaraick and his crew of smugglers run aground by a British warship.

Witnesses who arrived later found evidence of a scuffle. Kennedy was dead, the boy Harry Bertram had disappeared. The County sheriff (not named) did a thorough investigation and ruled murder. Meg Merrilies was suspected and spent some time in prison before being released. The boy was never found. Shocked by the news, his mother gave birth prematurely to a girl (not named) and died. The murder remained unsolved 17 or more years later. And we have read through the tenth chapter of Volume One of this Three Volume novel.

--Third Set of incidents: 17 years later or so, toward the end of the American Revolution, say 1782, the story resumes. Guy Mannering had married his sweetheart and become Colonel of his regiment in India, winning military fame. His teenage daughter Julia Mannering was wooed in India by a young recruit from Holland named Vanbeest Brown. Guy Mannering erroneously suspected this subordinate of wooing his wife, not his daughter. They fight a duel in which Brown is wounded. But bandits fall upon them and the combatants are separated. Mrs Mannering dies. Colonel Mannering resigns his commission and returns to England, enriched by inheritances. But the injured Brown has survived and eventually returns with the regiment to England -- unknown to Guy Mannering.

Taking leave, love-stricken Vanbeest Brown traces Julia Mannering to Scotland where her father is keen to purchase the old estate of Ellangowan. But immoral lawyer Gilbert Glossin has dispossessed his onetime patron, the old laird, of his ancestral holdings.

Meg Merrilies and Captain Dirk Hattaraick reappear, the latter, it develops, long protected by Glossin. New characters also make their appearance, most notably, the amiable lowland farmer Dandie Dinmont (the terrier breed will be named for him after Scott's novel). Dinmont provides an even warmer reception to young Vanbeest Brown than the Laird had given Guy Mannering two decades earlier.

An austere, wealthy aunt of Miss Lucy Bertram dies in Edinburgh, having been persuaded by none other than Meg Merrilies that somehow her nephew Harry Bertram has survived and will soon return to claim his ancestral home. Guy Mannering, Lucy's host after the sudden death of her father, volunteers to go to Edinburgh for the reading of Lucy's aunt's will. The current sheriff of the shire, Mac-Morlan, gives Colonel Mannering letters of introduction to his predecessor as county sheriff, now a prominent lawyer in Edinburgh. We finally learn that lawyer's name: Paulus Pleydell, Esquire. Pleydell in turn gives Mannering letters of introduction to David Hume and a few other luminaries of the Edinburgh enlightenment. Pleydell also agrees to represent Dandie Dinmont in a property suit.

All of the major players are now linked, in place and the plot gathers speed.

The greatest family of the shire, the Hazelwoods, also come into play. The wealthy Laird of Hazelwood begins to think highly of the crooked lawyer Glossin. The laird's son, Charles, falls in love with Miss Lucy Bertram. It slowly seems likely that Vanbeest Brown is Lucy's missing older brother Harry Bertram, though this is first surmised only by lawyer Glossin and Harry's loyal old protectress, the gypsy Meg Merrilies.

In a scuffle Brown/Bertram accidentally wounds Lucy's admirer Charles Hazelwood. All players shortly come together in a fiery ending so complicated that I had best leave its fun and denouements entirely to you.

Themes embedded in GUY MANNERING occur in other Walter Scott works as well: gypsies, inter-generational tensions, a missing heir, the role of cities and lawyers in accelerating the sunset of the "auld ways" of feudal Scotland, the virtual impossibility of a poor untitled man marrying a rich titled girl -- or vice versa. Once encountered, some of the characters can never be forgotten, notably Meg Merrilies, Dandie Dinmont and taciturn Dominie Sampson with his repeated exclamation of "pro-di-gi-ous!"

And we see old superstitions still holding sway a hundred or so country miles west of contrasting Edinburgh, with its immortal 50 year ascendancy in art, learning and science comparable only to eras of Periclean Athens and Medici Florence. -OOO-

There are some appalling cliches here - the mysterious gypsy, a lost infant (who turns up as a strapping handsome adult, but who still has the identifying talisman tied around his neck) - but my guess is that these weren't such cliches back in 1805 (so this predates Il Trovatore by a few decades). Even so I was completely taken with this, and found the last 100 pages to be very compelling reading, put down very reluctantly.

Scott's second novel Guy Mannering begins in the 1760s and concludes "near the end of the American war" in the early 1780s. Scott is deliberately vague about dates, as his focus in this novel is not on historical events or persons. The story begins with Guy Mannering's chance visit to Ellangowan the home of the Bertrams a noble Scottish family somewhat in decline. It is the night when Henry Bertram is born and Mannering an amateur astrologer sets out to make a chart of the boy's future. He is disturbed by the result however, and declines to reveal what he has foreseen, asking the family to wait five years before reading the prediction. Mannering leaves only to return some twenty years later to find that the fate of the Bertram family has become intimately connected with that of his own and that somehow, despite his own scepticism about his abilities as an astrologer, his predictions in an uncanny way have mirrored events.

Scott's skill as a storyteller is shown well in this novel. The story has a fast pace with lots of action and suspense. The major characters are confronted with the dangers of a lawless time, including murder, smuggling and abduction. Moreover, they must carry out their romances despite the disapproval of their parents. As is so often the case with Scott, much of the pleasure from reading the tale comes from the various minor characters he describes. Dominie Sampson is an unforgettable character hilariously awkward of speech and manner, constantly exclaiming "prodigious", but fiercely loyal to the Bertram family. Meg Merrilies, an unusually tall, mysterious gypsy fortune-teller, is likewise fascinating with her apparently supernatural ability to influence events. These and other characters, both the virtuous and the villainous, make the story continually interesting.

The best edition of Guy Mannering is that edited by P.D. Garside. This edition, based on the first edition and manuscript, provides the best possible text, restoring for the first time a large number of lost readings and indeed some quite extensive passages. It also has a full glossary, essential for understanding the Scots dialect and archaic words in the novel, and an extensive set of notes. Guy Mannering is a really enjoyable novel and good fun to read. It is also relatively straightforward and so would provide a good introduction to Scott's Waverley novels.

I read Walter Scott for atmosphere, for mood, for humor and characterization and perhaps most of all, to listen to his voice. Scott has an endearingly present narrative persona--he's that chatty, knowledgeable, and even slightly eccentric uncle, the one with all the hobbies and interests and entirely too many books, who seems to be a kind of expert on every subject. The best Scott novels tap into this feeling of cozy kinship and exploit it, and in the end this is often more important than the story proper.

More than many other Waverley novels, more than Waverley itself certainly, Scott's second novel, Guy Mannering (1815), excels at producing this complicated, friendly, peculiar narrative hodge-podge. There's a bit of everything here, from romantic scenery to sharp satire, from a bookish name-dropping to curse-muttering gypsies. There's smugglers and kidnappers, astrologers and cranks, the Scottish lowlands and the English lake district. Like all Scott, there's old and new joyfully intermingled--a birth mystery worthy of Tom Jones yet a good deal of what would become Treasure Island. More Gothic and less historical than Waverley, more fun than Heart of Midlothian, less forced than Ivanhoe, this novel was an unexpected treat. It remains underrated and understudied.

Consider that Scott dashed this novel out in six weeks, and you'll get some idea of both his own considerable talents and also the casualness, almost carelessness of its tone. Like all of his novels, Guy Mannering should be imbibed slowly, savored rather than gulped. Kudos to Penguin Classics for tapping into the Edinburgh Edition and providing us with a cheap, well-annotated text of this neglected classic!

Addendum: Someone asked me, so I thought I'd add: this is the novel featuring Dandy Dinmont, for whom the popular terrier is named.

This novel combines action, humor, unforgettable characters and intelligent writing. The author takes you into the landscape-you feel every bump in the road. A very accessible novel, considering Scott's other works. While I loved The Antiquarian, the Bride of Lammermoor, Waverly and Rob Roy, Guy Mannering is the best so far, with a plot that never falters and a few heroes that inspire admiration as well as inquiry. There is also little of the thick, unintelligible scot's dialect that can trip up the average reader. While Scott falls short on his female love interest,(she's only human) he excels in the character of the female lead, a brave gypsy filled with a sense of her own doom.
Please read Scott. He's good, and good for you.
Note to dog-lovers: the fun-loving Dandie Dinmont Terrier takes its name from this novel.

Was actually searching Google for something and up popped sites for this previously unheard of (by me) trilogy. By amazing chance, what should come up on one site was P50, vol 1, and there I found our family and the distressing sentence, "Sadly, this family would appear to be extinct in the present generation."! I felt myself all over, breathed in and out and looked at myself in the mirror: "One with the Dodo and the Brontosaurus? Hmmm, I Don't FEEL extinct." We may not be churchmen any more, last was Rev Dugald, (d 1842)or even church-GOERS but we still consider ourselves Slioch an Easbuig (I thought Slioch took a 'd' at the end?)

Slainte, anyway...

Jas. A. C. Derham-Reid
13th of Auchinellan.

This is an incredibly thorough early history of Clan Campbell, including its possible origins. I might suggest that any reader have some broad understanding of Scottish history before diving into this book as it's not really an "introductory" level read. But for those with some prior knowledge, this will satisfy very nicely.

This book has openned up a new environment to me. My history as a campbell has always been hidden from me, this book taught me much about our histories and that we were better than any MAcDonald clan.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in researching the origins of the Campbell Clan. It is a treasure trove of information.

Alastair Campbell of Airds has made the history of the Campbell Clan a thoroughly readable mixture of fact and conjecture. A particularly interesting feature, in my opinion, is the family tree which begins with God and includes Adam, Constantine and King Arthur. Volume 1 covers the clan's origins in about 1263 through the Battle of Flodden in 1513 where many of the Campbell chiefs and their men died alongside their king, James IV. This is an outstanding reference book, a "must read" for anyone interested in Scottish history, and should be in all Campbell libraries. I look forward to Volume 2, to be published in 2002.

I have always liked everything written by Stevenson, but The Master of Ballantrae far outstrips everything else. It is a subtle insight into human nature, and a great adventure story as well. The episodes are majestic, and the story, though bleak, is very touching. I have read it many, many times and think more of it the more I read it (to paraphrase Mackellar on page 1).

Wild Grows the Heather in Devon is thought provoking, eloquant and superbly written. I have highlighted most of the book. Many of the prayers written, I have taken as my own. Excellent intelligent reading!

Stevenson is best known today as a writer of juvenile fiction. This doesn't do justice to his skills as a writer of historical fiction or his ability to explore psychological and moral issues. Master of Ballantrae is one of his best works. Set in 18th century Scotland, it is an exploration of the nature and relationship between good and evil. In many ways, this is a parallel book to Jekyll and Hyde. In Master, the different aspects of human moral behavior are explored in conflict and relationship of 2 brothers, one charismatic and amoral, the other, stolid and virtuous. This is primarily a psychological novel of family tragedy brought about by the characters of the 2 bothers in a conflict ignited by the Jacobite uprising of 1745. Stevenson does an excellent job of handling the characters and plot. As with his other work, there is a nice depiction of 18th century Scotland. This is not a great work, but it is very good.

I read The Master of Ballantrae quite recently and I think it is an awesome book. James Durie (the Master) is such a wicked man, but seems to charm (most) everybody. He is such a round character. He torments his poor brother Henry Durie and Henry suffers in silence. Only Mr. Mackellar knows of Henry's sufferings. The Master makes the book so colorful. It's full of adventure, romance, sorrow, and revenge. I highly recommend this book, because it was so interesting and kept you wondering what would happen next. I am sure it will capture your attention as it did mine.

I am a big fan of Robert Louis Stevenson, and I think that "The Master of Ballantrae" is his best novel. It has interesting character studies and its exciting story is set in a great variety of locations. It has good adventure plus a very haunting quality to it, and is one of those books that I enjoy re-reading.

This is my first Ngaio Marsh novel. It is in many respects similar to an Agatha Christie in that the suspects are interviewed one at a time and then gathered for the final denoument. I guessed wrongly whodunnit, but the murderer and motive make sense when revealed. However, the murder doesn't take place until well into the book, and I got caught up with Martyn's story. The suspense for me was whether she would get the role and attain her dream of stardom. Ms. Marsh must have known a lot about the theater since there is a lot of detail about sets and actors. For a contemporary "closed set" murder mystery also based in England, I would recommend Christmas is Murder: A Rex Graves Mystery by C.S. Challinor.

Like many struggling young actresses before her, Martyn Tarne has a private fantasy of stepping in for a leading lady taken ill. In true Ngaio Marsh style, Martyn's dream is made a reality, in a twisted way; having just missed an audition at the Vulcan, Martyn wangles a job involved with another show set to open in a few days - as the leading lady's dresser, since Helena Hamilton's regular dresser just went into hospital. Martyn, a New Zealander who was robbed upon arriving in England, is alone and broke, and thankful to get *any* job until she can get on her feet - even at the Vulcan, where her mother's immensely famous cousin Adam Poole is both leading man and director.

The small cast and other Vulcan personnel involved in the production feature quite a few mirror images and parallels in their situations and their relationships with each other. In several scenes, actual reflecting surfaces underline this - shop windows as Martyn trudges to a late audition, a picture under glass of one character that reflects another, and so on.

Martyn doesn't want to establish herself on the London stage solely on the strength of her relationship with Poole - but she's ideally suited for a supporting role in the play requiring a woman who strongly resembles the lead. By contrast, Gay Gainsford, cast for the part on her uncle's insistence, requires heavy makeup and acting skills outside her scope, and is as prone to hysterical outbursts about her loathing for the play even as Martyn tries to fade into the woodwork and hang onto her job. Both women's relationships with older men in the company result in protective and sometimes over-protective reactions as clashes occur in the high-pressure atmosphere of the last few rehearsals and opening night.

As for the men associated with the Vulcan, Clark Bennington, Gay's uncle, is a once-fine actor now in a supporting role as an alcoholic both on stage and in life. On a particularly galling note, he seems to be playing second fiddle to Adam Poole in his marriage as well as his career - Helena Hamilton, the leading lady, has a career that eclipses Bennington's and tends to inspire devotion in most men, though she seems to collect only the young and artistic variety. Most of the other men on the scene apparently don't qualify, being either too old (her devoted admirer Jacques, the director's assistant; Gay's admirer Darcey, supporting player; the crabby playwright Dr. Rutherford) or ambiguous. All the men except Jacques and Poole do their bit to make the situation worse - even the playwright, whose "helpful" feedback is loaded with unprofessional attacks on the junior members of the cast, driving them almost to the point of breakdown when he isn't tactfully headed off.

The story plays out in a very compressed space and timeframe, set almost entirely within the walls of the Vulcan and mostly upon the opening night of THUS TO REVISIT, whose first performance ends with the discovery of the body of a member of the company; the investigation is wrapped up before daybreak.

I recommend James Saxon's unabridged recording of the text; Marsh's stories tend to function very well when performed, and this is no exception.

Drive in totals:
- Two deaths (poison); a third from a previous incident in the same theatre is referred to. (The Vulcan is not the same theatre as the Dolphin, which appears in other stories).
- One sexual assault (off camera, referred to indirectly).
- One openly homophobic character; it's made clear that that's only one of many unpleasant aspects of his rude, bullying personality.
- A character from A SURFEIT OF LAMPREYS turns up as a young constable.
- This story isn't about Alleyn, really; he serves to bring the truth of events and various motivations of the real main characters to light. Alleyn's personal life and family aren't a factor.

There's never a dull moment at The Vulcan Theatre--especially when a starving actress named Martyn Tarne walks into the job of dresser for the show's leading lady. What with a gifted but nasty author, an alcoholic actor, a hysterical bit player, and a host of other neurotics, opening night is more unnerving than usual. In fact, it's pure murder, and Inspector Alleyn is soon on the scene.

Ngaio Marsh is one of the great mystery novelists of the 20th Century, and she is particularly known for her skill at creating believable characters in memorable settings. But she is also uniquely gifted at portraying the complex world of the theatre, a task she takes on in several novels but never better than here. Marsh captures the contrast between the out-front-glamor and the backstage hysteria with the knowledge of an insider (she was, in fact, a theatrical director herself), and in VULCAN she offers a remarkably accurate, powerful vision.

Although it is occasionally beset by some of Marsh's less admirable tendencies, NIGHT AT THE VULCAN is easily among the best of the best, a novel that will not only fascinate you with it's look behind the grand curtain, but keep you guessing in terms of plot as well. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Who would've thought that so many murders could occur in theatres? But then again, it's all a case of life imitating art, and no one does this better than Ngaio Marsh. It's not surprising when you realize that she was a stage director/producer in New Zealand. _Night at the Vulcan_ beautifully captures the atmosphere unique to the theatre, while laying out a very clever case of murder made to look like suicide. This is all told through the eyes of Martyn Tarne, a young lady newly arrived to the London theatre scene, making it all the more interesting. The only reason that I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5, was that the identity of the murderer became a little too obvious, in my opinion, but all in all, a fantastic read.

Night at the Vulcan has everything; sympathetic (and endearing) characters, lots of Shakespearean quotes, realistic dialogue, two very different (but equally satisfying) love stories, gorgeous prose...all of the things I read Ngaio for. The character of Martyn Tarne is one I wish Ngaio had re-used in a later book (like she did with some characters from "Death of a Peer" and "Killer Dolphin.").

Ngaio Marsh is my favorite author, and Night at the Vulcan is my favorite Ngaio Marsh. 'Nuff said.

This is a noteworthy contribution to the history of the Alamo, the people of Scotland and the powerful American folk music that evolved from the melding of the two. Carl Peterson writes in an easy, conversational manner based on thorough research about the forces that brought the Scots to the New World and shaped their contributions to the growth of the United States. A surprising number of influential Americans were of Scottish ancestry and as a group maintained their cultural identity through language and folk memory. The heroism of William Wallace and King Robert Bruce echoed in the Texian revolt against European tyrrany. The story of the war for Texas independence is also described in the lyrics and music of the time, and the CD to which this book is companion (Scotland Remembers the Alamo)is not only sheer good listening but fascinating it its historic documentation.

I never realized how much the Alamo was influenced by the Scots and their history. This is a really different slant on the Alamo story. Includes a great history of early Scotland that provides an understanding to the rest of the story. Great reading.

This is a fantastic little book that packs a punch which belies its size! It was impossible to put down once started.Once again, the contribution of the Scot to the founding of this country is shown without any "soap-box" rhetoric. Carl Peterson's character studies of the Scottish Alamo defenders are skillfully drawn, and bring out hitherto unknown, to me, details about the heroes. The lyrics at the end of the book only add to the otherwise completeness of the volume. This is a "must have" for all lovers of history, Texas history,and Scottish history.

This is one of the best short histories of this period of Texas history I have ever seen. Peterson has incorporated the accuracy of a historian with the "tied-togetherness" of a novelist to make a very easy and informative read. He broadjumps the endless minutia of the day and homes-in on the major points. He has created a real & serious snapshot of one of the major events in the forming of our national heritage.

For anyone interested in history and the development of our country, where and how many of it's traditions and culture came from this is a must read. Extremely well researched and written. And a very informative explanation of the Alamo and those who were there.

The Pacesetters series is high interest reading for those who have literacy problems, or who just have a reluctance to read. The reading level for these books is between 2 and 3. Many of these books are mentioned in reference material concerning High/Low materials.

This is a story about a girl named Diana Fessler that was living with a friend's uncle. Long ago, in the house that she was living, lived another Scottish girl dead for 200 years. She was trapped in love that she couldn't be in peace with her soul, so she was taken control of Diana's mind.
I like this book because it is kind of romantic and is sentimental, too. I would like you to read it and try to understand it and it will make you know that when you love someone, you love him till death. I give this book five stars.

The Dream of The Dead is about a Pair of Brides that lived a long time ago.The Pair of Brides died. But their family doesn't like them to be brides. I like this book because I like romantic books. I think they are interesting. I like so much that kind of book.

I read this book when I was in 3rd grade (1978). I'm now 31 years old and am in awe at how this book has obviously had an impact on my psyche. You see, I'm a recording artist and actually created an album that was released in 1997 called, "Dream of the Dead" I searched, and searched, and searched for this book and could not find it. I thought I had made the entire thing up! Of course, I don't remember the plot of the book, so my album "really" has nothing to do with it (or does it?), but in any case felt compelled to mention this as a tid bit of information for anyone checking out this title. Irronically, I was searching to find out if my album had been added to the amazon.com music database (it has) and by accident ended up here in the books! What a pleasant surprise!

a great easy reading spook story i read as a kid.setting is very imaginable and captivating.probably aimed towards teen readers but here i am 10 years later looking for it.you will get lost in this book and if youre not careful you may even feel the scottish wind breeze by you late at night.a true gem.

Transport yourself in time, with this, the second book of the Rebel King series.
Historical fiction of Robert de Brus with all the harsh realities of the time, freezing cold, sweat, starvation and blood. The 14th century is real and you live it in the words of these talented authors.
You will see the war from as more than a struggle for independence, but also as a struggle between families.
See the 14th century as it was and live the struggle of freedom fighters...
Rebel King: The Har'Ships is incredible, GET IT!

Jeff winner
Author of The Strand prophecy.

The second great chapter following on the heels of the first book Hammer of Scots. The Har'ships by Charles Randolph Bruce and Carolyn Hale Bruce maintains an amazing level of action and emotions in the characters of this tale. Although a Historical Fiction account of the rise of Robert the Bruce and Scotland's Independence from England in the early 14th century many of the characters are believable incarnations of the actual men and woman. This book chronicles Bruce as he is able to turn his attention to subduing his rivals in Scotland as England reels from the death of the mighty King Edward I and a new political storm circles his son the new King Edward II and his favorite Piers Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall. Bruce deal with treaties in Argyll and begins his conquest of the Comyn territories in Buchan, his depression and a debilitating illness. His main rival is John Comyn, Earl of Buchan and his Lieutenants who have sided with the English in an attempt to stay in power.

I have a personal attachment to the Comyn's and appreciate that they get as much character development as Bruce and his allies. Often the Comyns are vilified and get a short mention in the history of the times. Although often seen as solely about Scottish independence, the war was as much about rival families vying for control. The Comyns just lost the rivalry as they put family before country. But that is another story.

Anyways the characters are real and have emotions, strengths and problems that I believe anyone can relate to. As Bruce and his rag tag army slowly free the Scotland and its people from the English yoke, you bleed, sweat, starve and freeze with them. You feel each struggle and savory the victories. Each chapter is crowned with an excellent drawing of these wonderful characters. I have never scene this done before but I absolutely love it. The illustrations are gems in the crown. I am a true Charles and Carolyn Bruce fan and hope you never stop writing these books.

The second book in the series was as good as the first. After reading this book you will want to read more by this author. The book brings you into part of the story and you feel like you are one of the characters on the story.

I wish that there was a "six star" rating...I would certainly give it to this book! Again, Charles Randolph Bruce and Carolyn Hale Bruce have hit the apex in writing about King Robert de Brus and the Scottish War of Independence! I've never read better historical fiction; the authors maintain historical accuracy while having the uncanny ability to bring alive King Robert and the other characters central to this inspiring story. This is the second in their "Rebel King" series, the first being "Hammer of the Scots" (see my review thereof). I just received my copy of the third book in the series, "Bannok Burn", and can't wait to read it! I would that this series could just go on and on, the Bruces are wonderful writers and artists (the artwork is outstanding) and I will be facing a void when there are no more sequels forthcoming. And, being of Scottish descent, I find very little GOOD historical fiction about Scotland, much less magnificent work such as this! If you like GREAT historical fiction, where the characters come to life even better than on screen, you'll love this book (and the entire series).

As a direct descendant of Robert de Brus, I have read a multitude of books chronicling his prowess on the battlefield and his long difficult journey to the throne of a free Scotland.

However, in this book, as in it's predecessor, "The Hammer of the Scots", the authors have done a magnificent job of "fleshing out" the skeletal facts and have provided a very realistic look into the more intimate details of the life of Robert de Brus.Having read both books, I feel as though I've spent some quality time with my ancestor and have walked a mile in his shoes.