
Northern Lights
The Arctic Scots
Edward J. Cowan(Author)
Birlinn Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 7. September 2023
Book
Hardback
464 pages
978-1-78027-787-5 (ISBN)
Description
Surprisingly, the remarkable story of the Scottish role in the discovery of the Northwest Passage - a long desired trade route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific - has not received a great deal of attention. This book charts the extensive contribution to Arctic exploration made by the Scots, including significant names, such as John Ross from Stranraer, veteran of three Arctic expeditions; his nephew, James Clark Ross, the most experienced Arctic and Antarctic explorer of his generation and discoverer of the Magnetic North Pole; John Richardson of Dumfries, a medical doctor, seasoned explorer and engaging natural historian; and Orcadian John Rae, who discovered evidence of the grisly demise of John Franklin and his crew. The book also pays tribute to many others too: the Scotch Irish, the whalers and not least the Inuit, with whom the Scottish explorers cooperated and generally enjoyed good relations, relying on their knowledge of the environment in many crucial cases.
The awakening of the Scots to the magnificence and dread of the hyperborean regions - as places of discovery, of inspiration and, regrettably, of exploitation - is traced, with particular emphasis on the first half of the nineteenth century until the search for the missing Franklin expedition mid-century.
The awakening of the Scots to the magnificence and dread of the hyperborean regions - as places of discovery, of inspiration and, regrettably, of exploitation - is traced, with particular emphasis on the first half of the nineteenth century until the search for the missing Franklin expedition mid-century.
Reviews / Votes
'A fine book that helps put right a significant historical oversight: the lack of recognition awarded by their peers and by posterity to the contributions made by Scots to Arctic exploration' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland * 'A splendid piece of compelling narrative history' -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman * '[an] extraordinary tome... Cowan's writing is lucid and engaging, and the concise chapters are easy to digest' -- Rosie Morton * Scottish Field * 'A narrative that charts the remarkable - yet often overlooked or misidentified - Scottish contribution to Arctic exploration... For anyone fascinated by Scottish history or hungry for tales of Arctic adventure, Northern Lights is a vivid new addition to the rich tradition of polar narratives.' * Country Bookshelf *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Birlinn General
Illustrations
2 Inset maps; 16 Plates, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 163 mm
Width: 243 mm
Thickness: 42 mm
Weight
692 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78027-787-5 (9781780277875)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Edward J. Cowan was formerly Professor of Scottish History at the University of Glasgow and Director of the university's Dumfries Campus. He previously taught at the Universities of Edinburgh and Guelph, Ontario. A fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, he died in December 2021.