Island on the Edge of the World
The Story of St Kilda
Published on 1. May 2009
224 pages
978-1-84767-472-2 (ISBN)
Description
For more than two thousand years the people of St Kilda remained remote from the world. Their society was viable, utopian even; but in the nineteenth century the islands were discovered by missionaries, do-gooders and tourists, who brought with them money, disease and despotism. In 1930, the few remaining islanders were evacuated, no longer able to support themselves.
An exploration of the life and death of the remote Hebridean society, Island on the Edge of the World is a moving account of human endeavour.
An exploration of the life and death of the remote Hebridean society, Island on the Edge of the World is a moving account of human endeavour.
Reviews / Votes
A story like a marvellous pebble, wet from the sea, strange and comic like all things out of step with time, sad as the old songs the women sang, splendidly told * * Sunday Times * * Reawakened my awe at the strangeness of our world -- WILL SELF A profound moral for our time . . . A beautiful, well-written book * * Washington Post * * A fascinating book . . . Charles Maclean is an excellent writer . . . he describes the story of St Kilda with powerful compassion -- MAGNUS MAGNUSSON An evocative study of the island * * Scotsman * * Excellent * * Esquire * *More details
Series
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Canongate Books
Product notice
Reflowable
Illustrations
two 8page b&w sections
File size
12,71 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-84767-472-2 (9781847674722)
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
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01/2019
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03/2006
Canongate Books
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Persons
Charles Maclean was born in 1946 and has had a diverse and international writing career. He is the author of a number of award-wining books on Scotch whisky and has also written novels and non-fiction books on the culture and landscape of Scotland. He is a consultant to the whisky industry and sits on the judging panel of the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Island on the Edge of the World was Maclean's first book and has become recognised as a classic work of social history.
Content
- Intro
- About the Author
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Table of Contents
- List Of Illustrations
- Maps
- Introduction
- Chapter One: The Island
- Chapter Two: Early History
- Chapter Three: Ownership, Rent And Economy
- Chapter Four: Death, Legends And Beliefs
- Chapter Five: A Simple Life
- Chapter Six: An Arcadian In Glasgow
- Chapter Seven: Birds And Cragsmen
- Chapter Eight: Agriculture
- Chapter Nine: Missionaries And Disease
- Chapter Ten: Arcady Despoiled
- Chapter Eleven: Evacuation
- Chapter Twelve: Culture And Utopianism
- Afterword
- Bibliography
- Index
- Acknowledgements
