Sparking Curiosity with Scottish Tales
~ Two Book Bites ~
Now, now, don't get me started on the existential dread of a short Orthodox Easter holiday! One minute you're cracking painted eggs with the family, the next you're staring down the barrel of another week like a forgotten, soggy slice of sponge cake.
But hey!, at least you got your fill of family, food, and that oh-so-joyous (ahem) midnight Easter service at the church. Let's face it, those Byzantine chants can put even the most devout to the test, like listening to Gregorian monks gargling pebbles (with all due respect to the monks, of course).
Just when a mild cold threatened to extend my post-Easter blues, I discovered the perfect remedy – a literary getaway! Perhaps I was still basking in the afterglow of last year's Scottish holiday (who knows?!), hence the current choice. Nevertheless, for anyone still yearning for adventure, especially after the Easter festivities, then here's a recommendation: dive headfirst into the world of Scottish tales with two intriguing books...
The first is Alistair Moffat’s The Hidden Ways.
If you ever felt like daily commute is about as exciting as watching paint dry, well, chuck that map app in the bin because Alistair Moffat, a Scottish writer who's basically a walking history encyclopedia (and used to be the rector of St. Andrews University, no less!), is about to take you on a far more interesting trek.
"The Hidden Ways," is like a treasure map to Scotland's forgotten paths. We're talking Roman roads that have seen more army boots than a kilt convention, winding pilgrim routes whispered about in ancient myths, and even secret sea roads used by smugglers who probably wouldn't have appreciated being caught with a single malt they hadn't paid the taxman for.
Moffat doesn't just walk these paths, he inhabits them. He'll have you picturing the forgotten people who once trod the earth beneath your feet, their stories woven into the very fabric of the Scottish landscape. It's a powerful, surprising, and sometimes downright moving journey through history, all without the stuffiness of a museum exhibit.
The second book is Peter Marshall’s Storm’s Edge: Life, Death and Magic in the Islands of Orkney.
Think Scotland is wild? Brace yourself, because Peter Marshall's about to whisk you even further north to the Orkney Islands! 70-odd islands are just a hop, skip, and a very turbulent ferry ride away from the Scottish mainland. Separating them is the Pentland Firth, a body of water so ferocious it makes a mosh pit look like a tea party (seriously, whirlpools and crazy strong currents – not ideal for seasickness sufferers).
But weather the storm (pun intended!), and you'll be rewarded with a landscape straight out of a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins (whoever that is). Think rolling green hills, patchwork fields that meet the sea like a giant patchwork quilt, and enough sky to make you feel like you could reach out and touch the clouds. Unlike the rest of Scotland, there are zero trees here to block your view, so it's just you, the endless ocean, and a sky so vast it'll make you feel both insignificant and strangely exhilarated. Orkney is, as Marshall perfectly describes it, ‘domed by the sky and belted by the sea’.
Orcadians (the folks who live on these islands) punch way above their weight! Sure, there might be fewer people here than your average British town (think Windsor without the castle and half the tourists), but what they lack in numbers, they make up for in brains and bards. Back in Victorian times, they were known for exporting "eggs and professors" (seems like a well-rounded breakfast, wouldn't you say?). Kirkwall, the main town, even boasts the oldest public library in Scotland – talk about bookworms! The 20th century wasn't too shabby either, gifting the world two top-notch poets: Edwin Muir and George Mackay Brown.
So, what is it about this remote island life that breeds such intellectual giants? Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe it's the endless sea air that supercharges the brain cells, or perhaps the lack of distractions allows for some serious contemplation. The book even delves into the island's long and fascinating history. Did you know Orkney was ruled by Norway for ages until it was basically traded as a wedding present to a Scottish king in 1468? - talk about an unconventional dowry - But hey, compared to the 8,500 years these islands have been inhabited, a few centuries are just a blip on the radar.
But enough with the history horses. We wouldn't want to spoil all the juicy bits Peter Marshall uncovers in "Storm's Edge." Let's just say the islands boast a past as turbulent as the Pentland Firth (remember that crazy whirlpool place?). Vikings swung by for a visit, the Reformation shook things up a bit, and yes, there might have even been a touch of witchcraft in the air.
But that's all part of the Orkney charm. The islanders themselves (the brainy bunch who export both eggs and professors) seem to have taken it all in stride. They even have a saying: "Only the toss of a sixpence separated the healer from the curser, the wise woman from the witch." Sounds like these folks knew how to keep things interesting.
Fast forward to today, and Orkney has traded its broomsticks for tourist brochures. It's consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in Scotland (and sometimes even the whole of Britain!). So, what are you waiting for? Grab "Storm's Edge," and let Peter Marshall be your guide to this unique and fascinating corner of the world. Who knows, you might even get a glimpse of a friendly "cheust folk" (just regular people, as they like to say) offering you a "good luck spell" before you head home!