My online friend Sparkling Squirrel recommended I think about joining another challenge, which I find too intriguing to resist!It's the Scottish Literature Reading Challenge and Clishmaclaver hosted by Amateur Reader at Wuthering Expectations.
The challenge is to read one book published in or before 1914 by a Scottish author. Then, Amateur Reader will also read the same book and there will be conversation!
Sounds like a great plan. He has put together some fantastic lists of possibilities. This is very helpful and makes me want to read a lot more than just one book.
But if it's going to be one, it must be James Boswell's A Journal of a Tour of the Hebrides (1785).
A friend of mine in Oregon tried to give me a copy of this book before I left for Scotland a couple years ago, but with one thing and another, the book and I didn't end up in the same place. Still, I took the recommendation and I've had it in the back of my mind ever since.
Living in Oban, the Hebrides are our nearest prospect for weekend excursions and longer holidays. It's perfect -- we can get on the ferry here in Oban, and as soon as we set sail our holiday begins. So far we've been to a handful of the inner Hebrides -- Skye, Mull, Iona, Staffa, Colonsay, Tiree, Coll, Lismore, Kerrera.
The Outer Hebrides, or Western Isles as they're known here, are much further out and require more time to visit. Andy and I hope to take our bikes and do an island-hopping bike tour sometime. But in the meantime...
Amateur Reader suggests:
Read Samuel Johnson’s A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland first, then Boswell's rather different account of the same trip. They’re typically published together now.
Tonight is Burns Night, a celebration of Robert Burns' birthday and all things Scottish. A perfect time to be stuck into a good Scottish book.
Oh yeah, if you're living there you just have to do this!
ReplyDeleteIs haggis on the menu tonight?
No haggis tonight but we should have had some with our squash soup. Mmm!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you joined. Am Reader is a great reader and great for the conversation. I'm tempted by Boswell and Johnson myself, as the islands are the epitome of romance to me. Your good times on Colonsay reminded me of a few fabulous nights I spent there myself. May was a bit warmer, but not much less windy.
ReplyDeleteThe participation of readers who are actually in Scotland is quite valuable. Thanks for joining in.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite curious how the present-day Hebrides match up to what Johnson and Boswell saw. The islands were the epitome of romance for them, too!
I confess my knowledge of Scotland was rather shady. Maybe I'll read about this too...
ReplyDelete