Not of This World

Maurice Fleming has long been interested in the supernatural in Scotland. For many years now he has been collecting records of these weird creatures of ancient lore which lie scattered in forgotten books and histories or live on precariously in orally transmitted tales and traditional songs. Some of the beings he describes in this book, like Brownies and Changelings, used to be found throughout Scotland; others, like the Loch Awe Beast or the Biase na Srogaig (Skye Creature) were linked with a specific place. The stories he has collected here and retold for a modern readership are authoritative versions, supported by his wide knowledge of the subject and a careful scholarly approach. However, as readers of his earlier books of traditional tales will know, Maurice Fleming is above all a born storyteller. His evocation of the mysterious otherworld of woods and moors grips the reader's attention like a spell and makes the hair prickle on the scalp. He has written a magical and unforgettable guide to a world that has vanished forever--or has it . . . ? Fleming was the editor of "The Scots Magazine" for many years. In recent times, he has concentrated on freelance journalism and writing books. His earlier collections, "The Ghost o' Mause and Other Tales" and "The Sidlaws: Tales, Traditions and Ballads," both from Mercat Press, have been popular and widely acclaimed. He lives in Blairgowrie.