Scotland - The Autobiography

Archive Sections
	General News
	Local Groups' Activities
	Business & Finance
	Property Pointers
	Travel & Getaway
	Health & Wellbeing
	Art, Media & Craft
	Music / Performance
	Event Reviews
	Wildlife/Environment
	Sporting Activities
	Horticulture
	Hoots and Havers
	Guest Columns
	Useful Links
	Comment Online

Scotland - The Autobiography

2,000 years of Scottish History by those who saw it happen

by Rosemary Goring. £25

Brought together by the Literary Editor of The Herald, this book is a fascinating collection of over 200 articles. These cover Scottish history from the settlements of Skara Brae to the elections of May 2007, as represented by observers of the time and participants in that history.

The articles include not just the key moments of Scottish history, from Bannockburn to the opening of the new parliament in 1999, but also testimonies ranging from an eight year-old Dundee factory worker to the survivors of Culloden.

Moments of glory such as Celtic winning the European Cup and disasters such as Lockerbie are chronicled. This is history told by crofters, criminals, servants, sportsmen, comedians and many more.

Goring was inspired in her approach to understanding history by her lecturer at St Andrews, TC Smout, whose History of the Scottish People 1560-1830 she describes as “recalibrating the country’s history from a social perspective, trying to understand the experiences of ordinary Scots rather than merely their governing elite.”

Goring’s book does proud justice to Smout’s teaching, unearthing and making available first-hand testimonies that contribute to the myriad threads of the history of the Scottish people. The author will be talking about her book at The Watermill in Aberfeldy on Thursday 25 October, 7.30pm. Tickets £3 (include a complimentary drink) from The Watermill 01887 8722896 or info@aberfeldywatermill.com