"Magnusson tells his story with vigor and lucidity. . . . He sets himself to put the romance back into history, and succeeds splendidly."--Allan Massie, The Spectator (London) "A very readable, traditional history told as a tale from its beginnings up to now."--Neal Ascherson, The Observer (London) "Lovers of history, literature, romance, or adventure will, after the first pages, be pulled irresistibly to the end. Their only regret after reaching it may be [waiting] for a sequel."--Booklist "A well-told traditional history." -The Washington Post
The book's subtitle takes on a second meaning, as Magnusson ambitiously sets out to chronicle a nation of storytellers who hold their literary and oral traditions close to their individual and collective hearts. Magnusson's solid effort brings the reader from ancient Scotland (before there were any "Scots" in it), past semimythic figures like Macbeth and Wallace, to the modern era of union with England and revived Scottish nationalism. Magnusson understands the power of myth in nation building and adeptly infuses his history with sparkling examples of Scottish fables. Combining fine literature and scholarly study, he commences his chapters with lively excerpts from an earlier Scottish history, Sir Walter Scott's Tales of a Grandfather, thus giving his work a storybook feel. Also, the modern critical scrutiny of Scott's political biases and historical blunders is enlightening. Magnusson, who has written over 20 books on his native Iceland and on Scotland, succeeds admirably in creating a pleasurable read, certainly for those with Gaelic heritage but also for any casual student of Scotland. Recommended for public and academic libraries. Gail Benjafield, St. Catharines P.L., Ont. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
"Magnusson tells his story with vigor and lucidity. . . . He sets himself to put the romance back into history, and succeeds splendidly."--Allan Massie, The Spectator (London)
"A very readable, traditional history told as a tale from its beginnings up to now."--Neal Ascherson, The Observer (London) "Lovers of history, literature, romance, or adventure will, after the first pages, be pulled irresistibly to the end. Their only regret after reaching it may be [waiting] for a sequel."--Booklist "A well-told traditional history." -The Washington Post
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