It’s time for a Read Scotland 2014 update, in fact it’s way past time as I’ve just realised that I’ve read 15 Scottish books this year, so I’ve gone beyond Ben Nevis as I knew I would. I don’t know what the next level could be called – do you?
I haven’t been very good at linking to the challenge so here’s what I’ve read so far.
1. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
2. Lanark by Alasdair Gray
3. Rockets Galore by Compton Mackenzie
4. A Double Death on the Black Isle by A.D. Scott
5. The Comforters by Muriel Spark
6. Secrets of the Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford
7. The Cabinetmaker by Alan Jones
8. The Daffodil Affair by Michael Innes
9. The Four Graces by D.E. Stevenson
10. The First Book of the McFlannels by Helen W. Pryde
11. The McFlannels See It Through by Helen W. Pryde
12. Sleeping Tiger by Rosamund Pilcher
13. The Clydesiders by Margaret Thomson Davis
14. The Kellys of Kelvingrove by Margaret Thomson Davis
15. Standing in Another Man’s Grave by Ian Rankin – which I have yet to blog about but I really enjoyed it.
A few of these authors have been new to me and of those I think Compton Mackenzie has been the most surprising and entertaining, followed closely by Helen W. Pryde, I must get around to tracking down the rest in her series.
The most disappointing has been Secrets of the Sea House which was just not my cup of tea and was full of cultural mistakes, it isn’t authentically Scottish at all.
I haven’t read any Scottish non-fiction at all but I intend to remedy that soon, so stand by (Lorraine in particular) for a non fiction blogpost – when I’ve rounded up the ones I hope to read this year – which is almost half-way through already. How did that happen?!
Well done!
Margaret,
I’ve surprised myself but it is going to slow down somewhat when I hit the non fiction!
Did I mention that Ken loved Standing in Another Man’s Grave? He’s waiting for Rankin’s next novel…
I’m very impressed by the number of books you’ve read for the challenge. You simply must suggest a name for an even higher level than Ben Nevis.
How is Jack doing with his Scottish Challenge? I’m doing miserably with mine.
Judith
Judith,
Apparently Rankin is taking a year off as he is knackered and shattered! http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/books/ian-rankin-to-take-a-year-off-due-to-health-fears-1-3058753
I did mention I had done Ben Nevis and Beyond so I think the next level might be beyond, and I’m thinking of suggesting that 30 + books shoud be called Back o’ Beyond. Do you have any suggestions for levels.
Jack says he has read 8 Scottish books – not bad as he’s also doing book reviews for Interzone and some proof reading.
Katrina,
Best wishes to Jack. Book reviews are extremely time-consuming and so hard to write, mostly because there is that dreadful rule called a word limit.
I like your idea Back o’ Beyond. Just a thought I had, since you asked–What about a level that’s named for the absolute outermost of all Scottish islands, the island farthest away from the Scottish mainland? Would that be in the Hebrides? Or the Orkneys? Or???
Judith
Judith,
I’m not an island buff but I think that Shetland might be the furthest away or maybe one of the Outer Hebrides islands, or possible Rockall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockall but that is usually uninhabited although there is a chap on it at the moment!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-27740273
You are doing so well on the challenge. I have only read one book for Read Scotland, and that is all I committed to. But I certainly have other Scottish authors and books I want to read this year, so I am hoping I can pick it up.
TracyK,
It’s all relative really, I have shelves full of Scottish authors which I’ve been meaning to read for years, if I read only those all year I still wouldn’t get to the end of them. There are quite a lot of Scottish crime writers to choose from.