Favorite Scottish Book/Novel/Series?

**davidlpope** · 23rd February 12, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by mayberry

The Crofter and the Laird, by John McPhee. The writer (well known for his New Yorker pieces examining in detail various human endeavours, activities, pastimes, and inquiries) took his young family to Scotland to live in an old crofter's cottage. I haven't read it for years, but I feel as though I gained some insight into the social history of the highlands from it. McPhee is a lovely writer, with an engaging curiosity.

***.

Also of note are The Corncrake and the Lysander, Crotal and White, and Crowdie and Cream by Finlay MacDonald.

**Tony** · 23rd February 12, 09:23 AM

Iain Banks has written a fair number of Scotland based/Scottish themed books.

Favorites among them - Crow Road, Espedair Street (one of his most mainstream) and The Bridge. The Bridge has a scottish barbarian who speaks in the venacular - good luck readin if yer no scottish.....

For sheer Scottish comic genius though, you can't beat Terry Pratchett's Nac Mac Feegle.

**Peter Crowe** · 23rd February 12, 09:43 AM

To the OP, I started this thread on Scottish themed novels back in the autumn which may provide some answers to his query:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-novels-69553/

**Laochri MacTalabh** · 23rd February 12, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Peter Crowe

To the OP, I started this thread on Scottish themed novels back in the autumn which may provide some answers to his query:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-novels-69553/

Thanks, I couldn't find it. It's a curiosity more than a question. Kind of a bonding thing with all you all Kilt Lovers.

**Alan H** · 23rd February 12, 10:18 AM

Oh yes..."Ring of Bright Water"... LOVED it. The movie was wonderful, too.

**Peter Crowe** · 23rd February 12, 10:33 AM

In answer to the OP's question, there are so many I will give a list of my favourite Scots authors and works of prose fiction that I enjoy most:

Robert Louis Stevenson (Kidnapped, Catriona, Master of Ballantrae, Weir of Hermiston)
Neil Munro (The New Road, Doom Castle, John Splendid, Para Handy Tales)
James Hogg (The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner)
Ian Rankin's Rebus novels
Lillian Beckwith's Hebridean novels
Finlay J. MacDonald's trilogy (Crowdie and Cream, Crotal and White, and the Corncrake and Lysander)

Not an exhaustive list but among my personal favourites!

**Tartan Tess** · 23rd February 12, 09:43 AM

I will finish "The Scottish Prisioner" later today.
Outlander is my favorite !

**O'Searcaigh** · 23rd February 12, 10:44 AM

Pretty much anything by Robert Louis Stevenson and Arthur Conan Doyle (e.g., "The Dealings of Captain Sharkey" -- and something about some detective). Maybe its just sea stories and mysteries I like???

**Singlemalt** · 23rd February 12, 11:21 AM

I have read a lot of those mentioned but I think my favorite Scottish book is also Canadian. No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod, it won the Dublin Literary award at the time it was published and while set in Canada has many Scottish themes and is really about the collapse of highland culture, the clearances and the consequences for the diaspora.

I read it years ago but I find themes and scenes from it often come back to mind. Powerful stuff.

**McClef** · 23rd February 12, 11:27 AM

As this thread is only remotely connected to the Media as it is understood and folk are mentioning books that are kiltless within, this thread is being moved to Miscellaneous.