Scottish Literature - Your Views

I'm trying to plan the topic for my Dissertation at the moment. I'm testing a few ideas, focusing on Scottish literature mainly, and how it's developed over the last few centuries.

It would be interested to hear other people's views on the literature of Scotland, their favourite Scottish books, how far it could agreed that the subject echoes the cultural and political of the last 2 centuries.

Do people enjoy urban or rural based literature? Could it be said that they are sentimentally exaggerated? Or are there specific texts that sum up experiences/changes very accurately?

I'm out to pick Scottish (or any other nationality!) readers' brains here.

I have not read a huge amount of scottish or any literature really. I have recently read The Silver Darlings by Neil M Gunn and I absolutely loved it. I was hooked from the first moment and felt a massive connection. Walking is a large part of my life just now and although mine is more recreational it ocassionally involves fair distances and so I feel I can empathise with Finn walking to Wick to visit the doctor. For me the book shows very well the uprooting of the people from crofting and having to learn the ways of the sea.

Hope this is of some use to you, Kestrel :)

I am just gonna add that I don't wish to belittle the fact that folk had to walk everywhere then but that we are so out of touch with the type of life they would have lived. Och I am makin a pig's ear of explaining myself here I just felt that the author put me in touch if you like.

No - you explained everything very well!

Thanks for that. I came across a very dusty copy of 'Highland River' at my grandparents' house when I was really young, i remember connecting with it's narrative in the same way you describe.

I've not had the same relationship with urban literature narrative; this is perhaps natural as I grew up in rural Caithness. Goodness knows how this dissertation will turn out - I will probably change my mind on it's contents about 100 times before handing it in!

Good luck with it, Kestrel, it is a shame no-one else has replied as there are some interesting folk who post in here usually!

I was introduced to what I consider a Scottish Literature classic when at Secondary school, Lewis Grassic Gibbon's Sunset Song, a book I have read many many times since.

Yes - Sunset Song I studied for Higher English. Although I didn't have much love for it back then, I've re-read it with a bit more of an insight and it is a classic.

It's typical post Kailyard literature - displaying the dark, hard times faced by rural folk. Although I have to say novels based in cities are much drearier! Will be investigating both in my dissertation.

Kestral, get yourself along to this...


There's a rare chance to see three Caithness writers in the nation’s capital reading from their work and discussing how Caithness has influenced their writing.

Chaired by journalist, broadcaster and writer Lesley Riddoch, who spent childhood summers in Wick and whose family is from the town.

George Gunn is a poet and playwright and founder and artistic director of Grey Coast Theatre Company, based in Caithness. He was born and brought up in Dunnet, a village on the north coast of Caithness.

Ewan Morrison is the author of the novels, Ménage, Distance and Swung and of the short story collection The Last Book you Read. He's originally from Wick.

Kevin Williamson writes poetry, fiction and non-fiction and was founder and editor of the Rebel Inc publishing house. His books include Drugs and the Party Line and In A Room Darkened. He's originally from Thurso.

6:30pm Thursday 24 June 2010
Central Library, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
The event is FREE and complimentary drinks will be served
Booking is essential, please contact:
readerdevelopment@edinburgh.gov.uk / 0131 242 8100

Hi Kestrel,
I'm new here myself(just registered,though have been looking at the Community Websit for a while) and wondering how your work in this field is going.
I mind reading Sunset Song at Thurso High in the 1970s : although we didn't know it at the time, we were privileged in the quality of the teaching we had.Norman MacCaig even took a look in to the High School once!George Mackay Brown was too shy a soul to do that,but all we needed to do was jump on the Ola and hang about the shops in Stromness to see him.
Is your intention to look at the development of urban, as opposed to rural, fiction,or have you still to decide how you're going to do this?

Hi Stumpy

I'm not 100% sure what exactly I'm going to focus on yet.

Naturally I have more of an interest and liking for rural-based literature, so I will be investigating the impact of the industrial/technological revolution on rural issues, lifestyles etc. Sunset song is a classic, I will have to re-read it as part of my study.

Norman McCaig in the high school? Jee, we never had anyone interesting when I was there. We certainly could have done with some inspiration, I chose to study English as a result of my own passion, school-based education had little to do with it.

I will be attending the Caithness Writers event this Thursday, I'm new to Edinburgh so have tried to encouarage some Parliamentary colleagues to join me but it's busy times down here so I may have to lone it! I'm sure it'll be worth the strange looks to hear some local talent.

If you see a dark-haired young lady looking lost, come say Hello! :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kestrel

If you see a dark-haired young lady looking lost, come say Hello! :D

---

Rest assure.

Just saw your post PC, sorry! Great stuff. See you there!

Aye Kestrel,
In any normal week I'd be there after work,but I'm in the throes of moving house so may not make it.Saw George and Kevin at the Edinburgh Book Festival a couple of years ago and enjoyed hearing them.Funnily enough,I'm re-reading George's Atlantic Forest just now,one of the best volumes of poetry I've read in a long while.If you're there,please tell them the little beardie chiel was asking for them!

Any Orgers manage along? Mibbe you have a piece you wish to link us to Pepsi ;)

Aye,managed along and heard a few familiar accents.I thought all 3 read well and had interesting things to say about how they relate their work to their Caithness background.There were obvious differences,but time-constraints meant they couldn't be examined in much detail.Kevin read from a novel he's still to publish,and showed a good ear for dialogue.What did other folk think?

Would have liked to have gotten thru for it - thanks for yer comments Stumpy!

Hi Lizz,
If you're within striking distance of Edinburgh,I heard the Netherbow Theatre is planning an event(possibly a day) around George Gunn's work in September.No details as yet,but worth looking out for.Also understand that his Atomic City and Egil's Saga are out in book form(Blackwell's Books in Edinburgh were muttering about the publisher but are trying to get it in).

My dissertation ( 25 years ago) was about the sense of place in Gunn's novels, specifically Silver Darlings, The Green Isle of the Great Deep and Highland River, but with most of the analysis being about the fact that as much can be learned about human nature within restricted boundaries as by travelling the world over, a belief I still hold actually, though I'm neither insular nor clannish, I hope!
Fascinating and frustrating.... though I always wondered if I should have gone with my second love, Salman Rushdie.. ah well.
I'll be interested to hear what you decide do and good luck with it

kate:D