And the Land Lay Still

James Robertson

This is an elegaic account of how Scotland got to where it is over the last 50 or more years. But it is more than that - it's a story about individuals, families, friends, acquaintances, and, of course, enemies and how these stories meld together to create the history of a country. James Robertson is a superb storyteller and this is a must read book.

Extract

Don felt he'd earned a drink or two after five and a half days at his work and an afternoon tending the garden. He'd have a thick slice of bread and jam and a cup of tea when he got home on a Saturday, and then he'd be out there, digging, planting or weeding, wet or dry, hot or cold, it didn't matter. At first Liz had been put out that he didn't want his dinner when he came in, surely it was what a man needed, but he said that if he had a full meal he'd just want to sleep all afternoon. She fed wee Billy at the back of five while Don cleaned himself up, then he'd sit down at six for his tea.

Parallels