John Prebble's Scotland

Rating:
Summary: John Prebble at his finest
Review: John Prebble just recently passed away, January 30th, 2001. SoI thought it was high time someone reviewed this fascinating ... book.

I was first drawn to this book because I was planning a trip to Scotland and had read a few of his books. I had read Culloden and Glencoe: terrifying, tragic and absorbing. However while those books seek to bring alive those awful events, this book is more of a personal history. He takes us to his favourite places, to those interesting places which you won't find in any guide book. I had the sense he was taking me to the quiet, beautiful places of great rugged beauty which draw so many of us to Scotland while reminding me that Scotland's painful history still haunts the empty glens, emptied of it's people.

As you explore Scotland with Prebble he does a great job at incorporating, almost weaving, other literature into his descriptions. Boswell and Johnson's famous adventure of course comes to mind. Perhaps this book succeeds where others fail by not trying to all-inclusive. Covering enough ground to be rich and satisfying, without being another boring historical guide book it's a very good read. Debunking highland myths and so much of the highland romance, Prebble is still able to entrance you with Scotland's beauty, it's character and it's wonderful people.

The love for the people and the country is obvious. I'd like to thank him for sharing it with me.