Pipes, Guitar, and Flute, Oh My!

With the warmer weather upon us (finally!), it's time to venture out and experience another season of festivals, events, and games in Ontario. Many of these gatherings are a great opportunity to experience and learn more about the Scottish traditions which remain vital to many communities. What can be more Scottish than bagpipes?

Thursday, April 23, 2015 starting at 7:00pm

McDougall Cottage, Cambridge

Tel: 519-624-8250

89 Grande Ave S.

N1S 2L7

New performer. Join multi-talented musician Mark Fletcher for a fabulous evening of traditional Scottish fiddle music and song. Mark performs small pipes, mandola, guitar, flute, whistles and Highland pipes. He is joined by fellow performer Drew Skuce (bodhran) for a fantastic evening of Scottish tunes. Music spanning 4 centuries, from both the Scottish Borders and the Highlands will be featured; some linked to history and historical figures and some just for the fun of the music. www.markfletcher.ca.

Admission by cash donation.

Guelph and Stirling, 1840s

To follow up on a previous post comparing (somewhat arbitrarily) early Galt and Edinburgh circa 1820, I present to you now a visual comparison of Guelph and Stirling circa 1840s:

Guelph in 1842, population: Approximately 1,300

1842 Pencil and Brown Wash Drawing of Guelph

Stirling in 1845, population: Approximately 2,159

1840 Engraving of Stirling and Castle by R.S. Michie

Address to a Haggis

In honour of Robert Burns Day on Sunday January 25, 2015, here is Burns' "Address to a Haggis":

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, 

Great chieftain o' the pudding-race! 

Aboon them a' yet tak your place, 

Painch, tripe, or thairm: 

Weel are ye wordy o'a grace 

As lang's my arm. 

The groaning trencher there ye fill, 

Your hurdies like a distant hill, 

Your pin was help to mend a mill 

In time o'need, 

While thro' your pores the dews distil 

Like amber bead. 

His knife see rustic Labour dight, 

An' cut you up wi' ready sleight, 

Trenching your gushing entrails bright, 

Like ony ditch; 

And then, O what a glorious sight, 

Warm-reekin', rich! 

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive: 

Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive, 

Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve 

Are bent like drums; 

Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 

Bethankit! hums. 

Is there that owre his French ragout 

Or olio that wad staw a sow, 

Or fricassee wad make her spew 

Wi' perfect sconner, 

Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view 

On sic a dinner? 

Poor devil! see him owre his trash, 

As feckles as wither'd rash, 

His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash; 

His nieve a nit; 

Thro' blody flood or field to dash, 

O how unfit! 

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed, 

The trembling earth resounds his tread. 

Clap in his walie nieve a blade, 

He'll mak it whissle; 

An' legs an' arms, an' hands will sned, 

Like taps o' trissle. 

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care, 

And dish them out their bill o' fare, 

Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware 

That jaups in luggies; 

But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer 

Gie her a haggis!

Sources

Burns Country 2015, "Complete Works"

Scotland 2015, "Burns Night"

Further Reading

Robert Burns Birthplace Museum 2015, "Discover Burns"

Visit Scotland 2015, "Who was Robert Burns?"

Library of Congress 2015, "Robert Burns Day: Haggis, Anyone?"

Visit Scotland 2015, "Hold your own Burns Supper ebook" (Free ebook!)

BBC 2015, "Robert Burns - Burns Night"

A Castle Kilbride Christmas

Sometimes the holidays can bring throngs of tourists and visitors to museums and galleries. Sometimes people would rather stay home and relax, or go shopping for Boxing Day specials. Luckily for me the days immediately following Christmas were quiet ones for Castle Kilbride, and I could take my time and explore each highly decorated room at my leisure. Ahh Victorian Ontario.

Castle Kilbride was built in Baden in 1877 by Scottish immigrant and successful industrialist, James Livingston. The Italianate home was named after his birthplace of East Kilbride, just south of Glasgow. Livingston was best known for his empire in flax seed, which allowed him and two further generations of his family to live in Castle Kilbride in the lap of luxury.

"A tour through Castle Kilbride is a journey into the lavish Victorian Era. Castle Kilbride dominates the landscape with its clean Italianate design, towering Belvedere, rich and extravagant furnishings and most importantly, interior artistry the likes of which are unmatched in a private residence in all of Canada." (Castle Kilbride) 

Had I been able to take photos, I'm sure they would have turned out similarly to this example from a professional photographer. Unfortunately, due to the delicate nature of the items on display, and the many hand-painted elements of each space, photography is not permitted.

Castle Kilbride is one of those places that's right in your own backyard, one of those places that everyone's heard of, one of those places that few have been. It can be easier (and more exotic) to travel out of town to "see the sights", but we mustn't forget about the sights close to home. Be a tourist in your hometown! You'll be amazed at what you find. If you do live in Southern Ontario (or even if you don't), I would recommend a stop at Castle Kilbride. The people in Baden are friendly, and happy to show off the jewel of the township.

Sources
Castle Kilbride 2015, "History in the Making"
Waterloo Region Generations 2015, "James Livingston, MP"

Further Reading
Trust for Architectural Easements 2015, "Glossary of Architectural Terms"
Ontario Tourism Website

Hogmanay - A Scottish New Year Celebration

Hull Daily Mail – Tuesday 30 December 1930

Hogmanay is more than just a wildly fun all-night New Years' Eve street party in Edinburgh; it's a long-standing (and apparently somewhat mysterious) tradition that goes back centuries.

Celebrations today may include fire-dancers, fireworks, the consumption of copious amounts of alcohol, live music in the streets, dancing, parades and more. Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration is the largest in Scotland, and attracts visitors from around the world.

First Footing is a New Years tradition that begins at midnight and continues into the early morning. This custom involves being (or welcoming) the first person through the threshold of your home for the New Year. This 'first footer' would bring any number of symbolic gifts to the homeowner, each of which would bring a different sort of luck for the year ahead: Salt (for flavour), coal (for warmth), shortbread (for food), or whisky (good cheer). If you are short, blonde, and a female, it is recommended that you not attempt to beat anyone through a Scot's doorway at midnight - you're bad luck. A tall, dark, and handsome man is who's really desired, as it would indicate that that family inside would have a financially prosperous year. The Greeks have a similar tradition.

The Illustrated London News
December 30, 1882
"The First Foot: A Scottish Custom on New Years' Eve"

In preparation for Hogmanay in Upper Canada, Scottish settlers would thoroughly clean their homes, finish any mending that needed to be done, change bedding, do any polishing, pay off any debts and return any items that had been borrowed over the past year - in other words, they would put their lives, homes, and businesses in order for the New Year.

Sources
Hogmanay.net 2014, "Hogmanay FAQs"
Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2014/2015 Website

Further Reading
Wikipedia 2014 "Hogmanay" for an overview of some popular traditions/customs.
Ava Laboy Capo's 2013 Traditions/Superstitions From Around the World!: To Bring in the New Year!

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and healthy New Year! Here comes 2015!

Lands in Upper Canada

Clicking on the image below with enable you to zoom in on this advertisement for settlement, printed in 1835 in London, England.

Some excerpts from the advertisement include:

"The ordinary baggage of Emigrants consists of their wearing apparel, with such bedding, and utensils for cooking, as may be required on the voyage, and any articles of clothing, not intended to be used at sea, ought to be packed in water-tight cases or trunks, not exceeding eighty or ninety pounds in weight."

"The class of persons chiefly required in Upper Canada, and who, of course, will find it best suited to their purposes, are small Capitalists, Farmers, Mechanics, and Labourers."

Sources
Toronto Public Library Digital Archive 2014, "Lands in Upper Canada"

Mini Review: How the Scots Invented Canada

How the Scots Invented Canada is Ken McGoogan's biographical response to Arthur Herman's 2001 How the Scots Invented the Modern World. Rather than discussing larger themes that effect an international diaspora, McGoogan has opted to narrow the scope to (exactly 60) important Scottish individuals on the Canadian scene. There were a lot to choose from - 13 of our 22 prime ministers have Scottish heritage, not to mention the many explorers, settlers, inventors and visionaries up to present day.

"Early arrivals included explorers Alexander Mackenzie, Simon Fraser and the 'Scotch West Indian', James Douglas. Later, Scots such as Lord Selkirk and John Galt encouraged thousands to immigrate. Nation-builders followed, among them John A. Macdonald, James McGill and the reformer Nellie McClung. Then came the visionaries, Scottish Canadians such as Tommy Douglas, Doris Anderson and Marshall McLuhan, who have turned Canada into a nation that revels in diversity." (From the publisher)

My review of this book is a bit mixed, in that many of the things I find great about Scots are the same things that I dislike, or see as a failing. Maybe balanced is a better word? Here's what I mean:

One of the first things I'd noticed when I was flipping through the book at the store was the amount of archival images that McGoogan has included; portraits, photographs, ephemera, you name it. At the time I thought that was wonderful, and I continued to think that while I was reading until I realized that none of the source information for the images is included. Which archives is it from? Is it on display in a museum or gallery? Who painted that image? The best part about sharing information with others is the possibility that it might actually inspire them to want to learn more. With the lack of photograph/archives credits in Scots I feel like many people (myself included) will be left out in the cold.

This dearth of source information extends to the research as well. There are no footnotes or endnotes... only a suggested reading list in the appendix to let you know where McGoogan's facts might have come from. (I'm one of those people that love reading the footnotes; not just to check sources, but also for small anecdotes or related facts.) That being said, not all books have notes. Some books are not meant for an academic audience, but rather for a popular audience looking for an enjoyable and easy read.

The story-telling quality that McGoogan gives to his books is enjoyed so much that he was the recipient of the 2006 Pierre Berton Award for popularising Canadian history. Now, while I do enjoy McGoogan's more informal take on historic personalities and their contributions to Canadian society, I could do without the personal anecdotes of his own Scottish vacations and family connections. I don't think that these particular extras add to the reader's understanding of the book, and indeed at times made me feel like I had been tricked into watching a slideshow of someone else's vacation. That being said, I understand that many might find McGoogan's personal approach in this regard an accessible way to break into Canadian/Scottish history.

I would recommend this book to a casual reader with an interest in history - someone looking to increase their general knowledge in all things Canadian. As far as using the book for academic means, I would treat it the same way I treat Wikipedia; it's the perfect jumping off point for ideas and research, but should by no means be your only source.

Sources
Harper Collins Canada, 2014 "How the Scots Invented Canada"
Roy MacSkimming's 2010 Globe and Mail Review of How the Scots Invented Canada
D. Grant Black's 2010 Toronto Star Review of How the Scots Invented Canada
Canada's History Magazine Online 2014, "Ken McGoogan: 2006 Pierre Berton Award Winner"

Further Reading
You can find your own copy of How the Scots Invented Canada at Amazon or Chapters.
Visit Ken McGoogan's Blog here
University of Sheffield, History Matters 2013, "Writing Popular History: Comfortable, Unchallenging Nostalgia-Fodder?"
Harvard University, Harvard Guide to Using Sources 2014, "What's Wrong with Wikipedia?"

Better Together

In the spirit of the No (thanks) vote following Scotland's referendum last week,

Further Reading
BBC News 2014, Scotland Decides
CBC News, 2014, After the Scottish Referendum: What Happens Next
The British Monarchy 2014, The Queen's message following Scotland's referendum
The Telegraph 2014, Scotland News
Maclean's 2014, Referendum
The Economist 2014, Scotland's Referendum: Britain Survives
The Scottish Government 2014, Scotland's Referendum 2014
The Guardian 2014, Scottish Independence
What Scotland Thinks 2014, Opinion Polls
UK Government 2014, Scottish Independence Referendum
Huffington Post 2014, Scotland's Referendum
Herald Scotland 2014, Scotland Decides

The Scottish Referendum

Today the people of Scotland are being asked "Should Scotland be an independent country? Yes/No".

While I've been keeping track of the referendum for just over a year, many have been on top of it (and part of it) for decades (and some would even argue centuries). If you're new to the issues, or are simply looking for some clarification, here are some links to help you learn more. They cover news of the referendum, why it's happening, and what might be the possible outcomes of today's vote.

BBC News: Scotland Decides - As always the BBC has done an excellent job of keeping it's readers informed. Everything from what would happen to food prices, currency, defence, and citizenship have been covered from multiple angles. They also have a poll tracker that compiles data from several different sources, and maps out events that may have changed the minds of voters.

The Scottish Government: Scotland's Referendum - This site offers highly accessible and easy to understand facts on the history of the Scottish Government, and answers questions that every day people would have about a possible Yes outcome. They even claim to have an entire section of infographics to help people understand the various issues related to the vote... I say claim because I don't think that coloured font qualifies as an infographic, but you can see for yourself.

The Telegraph - The UK-based newspaper has compiled its articles (which include opinion pieces, polls, and photos) on the referendum online; one of which explains how everyone's finances will be effected by the referendum. Likewise, The Guardian has dedicated a page to their coverage.

Here in Canada, the CBC has also covered the election, although not nearly as comprehensively.

If you'd like to learn more about the YES campaign for an independent Scotland, you can visit www.yesscotland.net For the Better Together campaign for a continued United Kingdom, visit www.bettertogether.net The Better Together site also claims to have infographics, and ones that you can share on Facebook no less... the thing is, is that these aren't infographics* either, they're just photographs.

Going through the above sites should give you a pretty good idea about what's at stake for either campaign. If you'd like even more background about why the Scots feel the need to have a referendum in the first place, the following histories are recommended:

Neil Oliver / BBC's, A History of Scotland
J.D. Mackie's, History of Scotland (You can read my review of this work here)
Michael Lynch's, Scotland: A New History
Daniel Szechi's 1715: The Great Jacobite Rebellion
Geoffrey Plank's Rebellion and Savagery: TheJacobite Rising of 1745 and the British Empire

Final results of the Scottish referendum will be made public the morning of September 19th 2014.

*For the record, an infographic is "a visual image such as a chart or diagram used to represent information or data". Here is an example, and one of my favourites: Star Trek The Original Series

Alexander or Donald?

I had recently come across a line in a novel that said that in Scotland (in the mid-18th century) every man's name was either Alexander or Donald. While that's obviously an exaggeration, it got me thinking, and I decided to see just how popular those names were within the context of Scottish settlement in Upper Canada.


Five most popular names for listed
male settlers 1790-1849

Looking at the 15 extant passenger lists of ships departing from Scotland to Quebec (between 1790-1849 with settlers intended on travelling through to Upper Canada), I was able to distinguish 1,153 male names (Campey). These names are mostly the heads of families; children's names were rarely provided. In some instances not every man travelling aboard a vessel was accounted for by name, however, the five most popular names listed are:

1. John (261 individuals)
2. Donald (101)
3. Alexander (100)
4. William (93)
5. Duncan (59)

The next most popular names were Robert (54), Archibald (40), Angus (28), Allan and Andrew (each with 16), and Dougald (7). So it would seem that this novel wasn't too far off the mark. As you can see from the donut graph here, the top five names cover just more than half of the total, and if you were a listed male passenger aboard one of these ships, there was a nearly one in four chance that your name was John. As for modern day, the five most popular names for boys in Ontario between the years 1917-2010 were 1. Joseph, 2. John, 3. William, 4. Robert, and 5. James. Looks like in about 200 years of settlement we haven't strayed too far from the mark.


Five most popular names for listed
female settlers 1790-1849

For those interested in the most popular names for the ladies aboard the same ships, it's "Mrs." and "Wife of". All jokes aside, I was able to find 533 listed female passengers, and the most popular recorded names are:

1. Mary (86 individuals)
2. Catherine (80)
3. Janet (57)
4. Anne (46)
5. Margaret (45)

The next most popular names to round off the top ten were Isobel/la (23), Marion and Flora (each with 19), Elizabeth (17), and Euphemia (8). In modern day Ontario between the years 1917-2010, the most popular girls names were 1. Mary, 2. Marie, 3. Jennifer, 4. Margaret, and 5. Patricia.

Sources

Lucille H. Campey's 2005 The Scottish Pioneers of Upper Canada, 1784-1855: Glengarry and Beyond

Global Toronto, 2012, "Interactive: 93 Years of Ontario Baby Names"

Further Reading
Behind the Name, "Scottish Names" Here you can learn a little more about the Gaelic roots to many of the names mentioned above. For example, "Duncan: Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Donnchadh meaning "brown warrior", derived from Gaelic donn "brown" and cath "warrior". This was the name of two kings of Scotland, including the one who was featured in Shakespeare's play 'Macbeth' (1606).

Don't Ask, Just Eat It

Baguette topped with sliced apple
and black pudding, with brown
gravy for dipping.

I've recently discovered the most amazing little cafe in Cambridge which caters to the Scots-loving crowd: Rising Dough Scottish Bakery and Coffee Shop. I went on a bit of a spree, buying a haggis, four haggis pies, three packs of black pudding, and two Double Decker bars (all for under $50). I would highly recommend to anyone within driving distance to check them out. Other than my general love of haggis, there was a particular reason for this visit; the TV adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander had premiered, and what better way to celebrate than to whip up some Scottish goodies with some friends?
 
What is black pudding? "Essentially, black pudding is a mixture of suet, blood, barley and a special blend of spices stuffed in a length of protein casing." (Visit Scotland) In other words, it's a type of blood sausage... but you'll get more people to eat it if you just call it black pudding. It's relatively soft with an oaty texture, but is also very rich in flavour, and very filling. You can purchase it as sausage links, or already sliced into pucks for convenience.

Recipe for Black Puddings found in Cookery Reformed; or, The
Lady's Assistant, published in London in 1755.

I chose to fry some black pudding pucks in a pan with some butter (about 5 minutes each side), and then set it on top of baguette slices with apple. I made up some brown gravy in case anyone wanted to dip, and voila! All in all it only took a few minutes to prepare, and was absolutely delicious. I'm very selfishly planning to hoard the rest of my black puddings for breakfasts and snacks. 

Now, if you are the sort to want to spend more time (ie. a few days) in the kitchen, you are more than welcome to this recipe, taken from a 1755 publication, Cookery Reformed; or, The Lady's Assistant. The ingredients have not changed all that much over time - why mess with a good thing, right?

Sources

Visit Scotland, 2014, "Traditional Scottish Food"

Cambridge Now, 2014, "Rising Dough Scottish Bakery and Coffee Shop"

Internet Archive, 2001, Cookery Reformed; or, The Lady's Assistant

Further Reading

Showcase, 2014, "Outlander"

The English Breakfast Society, 2014, "Traditional Black Pudding"

The First Highland Cattle

The first of the Highland Cattle to arrive in Canada was a Bull brought over to Manitoba by Donald Smith (perhaps better known as Lord Strathcona) in the 1880s. Born near Inverness in Scotland, Smith would go on to have quite the career in Canada. In addition to his 75 year career with the Hudson's Bay Company, which witnessed his rise through the ranks to become Governor, he also served "42 years with the Bank of Montreal; 32 years with the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR); 18 years as a Member of Parliament; 18 years as Canada's High Commissioner; and 6 years as an MP in Manitoba" (HBC) Something tells me he didn't get to spend a whole lot of time with his new import...

Highland Bull

This photograph of a Highland Bull was taken by Frank Babbage, and published in the Encyclopaedia Britiannica in 1910 along with the following description:

"The West Highland or Kyloe breed are perhaps the most hardy and picturesque of British cattle. Their home is amidst the wild romantic scenery of the Highlands and the Western Isles of Scotland, though Highland bullocks with long, spreading curved horns may be seen in English parks. They have not made much progress towards early maturity, but their slowly ripened beef is of the choicest quality. The colour of their thick shaggy hair varies from white and light dun to tawny yellow of many shades, and black"

For a more recent photograph, you can visit an earlier post on this site, here.

Sources
HBC, 2014, Our History: People: Governors: Donald A. Smith
The Canadian Highland Cattle Society, 2014, History of Highland Cattle
Classic Encyclopaedia, Cattle
Wikipedia, Donald Smith 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal

Further Reading
Highland Cattle World, 2007, Highland Cattle in Canada

The Canada Company

Canada Company Coat of Arms
The country does not alter the race

The Canada Company, founded in 1825, was established to promote and assist in the colonization of Upper Canada. As a private firm however, its main goal was the sale of land (primarily in south-western Ontario) to new immigrants. The company had purchased about 2.5 million acres from the government in 1826 for this purpose, and in so doing ushered in a new era of development; private firms in charge of land administration rather than the crown.

Many Scottish immigrants took advantage of the new organization and had nothing but praise for the company (and land) after having been settled: "The land here [North Easthope Township, now the Township of Perth East in Perth County] is good and well-watered, the terms of the Upper Canada Land Company are liberal, requiring the settler only pay a fifth of the purchase money when the land is applied for, and the remainder in five yearly instalments with interest at six per cent. The Company at present [1836] sell their land at 12s. 6d. currency per acre being equal to 10s. 8d. British, and the only stipulation is to clear off each year about three and a half acres for every 100 acres owned by a settler... There are grist mills and saw mills within a few miles of us east and west, also a store where goods of all kinds are sold. This settlement is mostly Scotch, almost wholly so where we are settled, and the utmost goodwill and unanimity prevails. We enjoy, though obtained at present by hard labour and perseverance, all the necessary worldly comforts and with the prospect, if we and our families are spared, of seeing them and us all independent and comfortable farmers, farming our own land." (Campey, 131) 

Canada Company Poster

While a great many immigrants benefited from the company as settlers, the company was not without its controversies. One Reverend Patrick Bell, a Presbyterian minister from Angus referred to the men working for the Canada Company as "cruel seducers" who would lead poor Scots out into the wilderness to starve (Campey, 130). Some settlers in later years would complain that the price per acre had become too high. Still others considered the professional relationship between the Canada Company and the Family Compact to be a little too close for comfort. In fact, many considered them to be one and the same; An exclusive club of elites who only work for and with each other. Political animosity towards the ruling Family Compact resulted in open rebellion in 1837 and 1838. After that period and the sharp decline of those ruling elites, the Canada Company streamlined its operations, became far more inclusive, and continued to operate until all of its lands were finally sold off in 1951.

John Galt (the Scottish novelist and founder of Guelph and of Goderich in 1827, and the namesake of the former Shade's Mills) was the first Secretary and Superintendent of the Canada Company. His tenure was cut short however, by company directors who considered him a little too interested in the actual welfare of settlers over profit margins. Galt spent only three years in the province before heading back to Scotland; dying in 1839. A further discussion of Galt and his achievements will be forthcoming in another post. In the meantime, please check out the further reading links below to some of the original documents related to the creation of the Canada Company.

Sources
Wikipedia, 2014 "Canada Company" (not a bad place to start for some good overview and a list of members/positions)
Canadian Encyclopedia, 2013 "Canada Company"
Canada in the Making, "Post-Loyalist Settlement (1814-1830)"
Canadian Dictionary of Biography, 1988, "John Galt"
Lucille H. Campey's 2005, The Scottish Pioneers of Upper Canada, 1784-1855

Further Reading
'A Bill to enable His Majesty to grant to a Company, to be incorporated by charter, to be called "The Canada Company," certain lands in the province of Upper Canada, and to invest the said company with certain powers and privileges relating thereto' (London, House of Commons, 1825).
National Archives of Canada, Map of the Lands of the Huron Tract Belonging to the Canada Company by Samuel Oliver Tazewell.

Mini-Review: A History of Scotland

J.D. Mackie's A History of Scotland is exactly that - a comprehensive history of Scotland from 11th century to the 1970s. At only 380 pages, this book is packed with information, and has long been regarded as the book to reach for on the subject. Mackie  was Professor of Scottish History and Literature at the University of Glasgow from 1930 to 1957, and became Her Majesty's Historiographer in Scotland in 1958. He had published numerous books on various related topics until his death in 1978.

"For a generation, this book - intelligent, fair-minded and accurate - has been acclaimed as the definitive one-volume history of a great nation." (From the publisher)

A History of Scotland has been immeasurably helpful to me in three ways. First, it provided a detailed introduction to the places and people of Scotland's past which helped me to further appreciate everything I saw during my trip to Edinburgh and the Highlands this past March. Second, it gives an amazing historical background to any examination of Scottish settlement in Canada - knowing the push and pull factors of why settlers were compelled to leave their homes and start anew. And lastly, it has helped me to better understand the current political and social climate in Scotland with regards to the upcoming September referendum - seeing all sides of an argument and being able to put everything into context is strangely satisfying.

When reading this book, I strongly advise you to have a map of Scotland handy, and be prepared to look up names and terms. There is so much information in this book that at times it can feel as though you're simply reading lists of battles, treaties, and nobles. Don't be intimidated, however; when a person or event is of great significance, Mackie will spend a paragraph or two explaining why before moving on.

If the book has any shortcomings it's that it has no illustrations or images, and only five historical maps. For a region with such a stunning landscape and a wonderful visual culture, it was a bit disappointing. Additionally, many early kings share the same name, and it would've been nice to be able to "see" each individual. I found it helpful to pause between sections of the book to watch episodes of the BBC produced "A History of Scotland", hosted by Neil Oliver. Being able to visualise the personalities through the ages and have names repeated is one of the best ways (for me anyway) to memorise things.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of Scotland and its peoples, or are interested in British history in general.* I've shared some links below where you can pick up your own copy.

Sources
J.D. Mackie, A History of Scotland, Penguin Books, 1984 (Revised Edition)
BBC One, "A History of Scotland"

Further Reading
You can find your own copy of A History of Scotland on Amazon or Chapters
BBC News, 2014 "Scotland Decides"
Diana Gabaldon's Website
The Outlander series on Amazon and Chapters

* I will also mention (for those readers of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series) that this book provides a perfect background to the social, political, and religious undertones to the Jacobite rebellions and life in 1740s Scotland.