
Scottish Cats
An Anthology of Scottish Cat Poems
Hamish Whyte(Editor)
Birlinn Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 19. November 2013
Book
Hardback
112 pages
978-1-78027-139-2 (ISBN)
Description
Cats have always had a special appeal to poets - they exhibit so many human attributes, not least that characteristic Scottish trait, thrawnness. According to legend, the Scots were the first northern people to keep cats (Fergus I of Scotland is said to have brought one from Portugal in the fourth century BC), and Scots have taken cats to their hearts ever since.
This anthology of over 60 poems explores the relationship between people and felines from Henryson's 15th-century account of 'Gib Hunter, our Jolie Cat' , through 18th century Aesopian tales, 19th-century cat-and-mouse tussles to more modern depictions of this domestic yet mysterious animal by poets such as Alastair Reid, who explore the ambivalent side of 'the tiger who eats from the hand'.
Featuring the work of J.K. Annand, George Bruce, Valerie Gillies, Kathleen Jamie, Maurice Lindsay, George Macbeth, Brian McCabe, Norman MacCaig, Edwin Morgan, Tom Pow, Iain Crichton Smith, Allan Ramsay. There are also a number of traditional poems and nursery rhymes and charming line illustrations by James Hutcheson.
This anthology of over 60 poems explores the relationship between people and felines from Henryson's 15th-century account of 'Gib Hunter, our Jolie Cat' , through 18th century Aesopian tales, 19th-century cat-and-mouse tussles to more modern depictions of this domestic yet mysterious animal by poets such as Alastair Reid, who explore the ambivalent side of 'the tiger who eats from the hand'.
Featuring the work of J.K. Annand, George Bruce, Valerie Gillies, Kathleen Jamie, Maurice Lindsay, George Macbeth, Brian McCabe, Norman MacCaig, Edwin Morgan, Tom Pow, Iain Crichton Smith, Allan Ramsay. There are also a number of traditional poems and nursery rhymes and charming line illustrations by James Hutcheson.
Reviews / Votes
'[A] must for all cat-lovers ... Beautifully designed and scampering along from Robert Henryson to Diana Hendry here's a tumbling litter of truly enjoyable poems' -- Ron Butlin * Scotsman * 'If you admit to sharing this folly, to regarding your ball of hair, claw and tooth as the cat's pyjamas, then you will enjoy Scottish Cats: an Anthology, edited by Hamish Whyte' * Times Literary Supplement *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Birlinn General
Illustrations
Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
322 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78027-139-2 (9781780271392)
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
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
11/2013
Birlinn eBooks
€8.39
Available for download
Persons
Hamish Whyte was born in Renfrewshire and lived and worked in Glasgow for many years as a librarian. The author of a number of poetry collections, he has also edited poetry anthologies.