by Craig David (Author)
In the Clearances of the 19th century, crofts - once the mainstay of Highland life in Scotland - were swept away as the land was put over to sheep grazing. Many of the people of the Highlands and islands of Scotland were forced from their homes by landowners in the Clearances. Some fled to Nova Scotia and beyond. David Craig sets out to discover how many of their stories survive in the memories of their descendants. He travels through 21 islands in Scotland and Canada, many thousands of miles of moor and glen, and presents the words of men and women of both countries as they recount the suffering of their forbears.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
Publisher: Birlinn Ltd
Published: 01 Apr 2010
ISBN 10: 1841588016
ISBN 13: 9781841588018
'An outstanding book' - The Herald 'He has the eye, the imagination and the descriptive density of early Bruce Chatwin' - Toronto Globe & Mail 'A powerful, poetic, personal Highland Odyssey' - Times Literary Supplement
David Craig was born in Aberdeen and educated there and in Cambridge. He has taught literature and social history in schools and universities in England, Scotland and Sri Lanka. He has published several books on Natural History and Social History, including The Glens of Silence which was published by Birlinn in 2004. He lives in Cumbria.