What are you reading?

Of our particular interest on this forum, what are you reading presently, recently or probably will read soon.

I read two Scott's: Waverley for the second time, Rob Roy for the first. I also read Kidnapped by Stevenson in January.

I have moved onto an author I have yet to read, Nigel Tranter. I have decided on his Bruce trilogy having had it recommended to me by my brother.

Having now finished part one of this Trilogy, I am moving onto the second instalment The Path of the Hero King by Nigel Tranter.

I just finished The Heart of Midlothian and am currently reading American Pastoral by Philip Roth. I keep trying to like modern writing, but it's always a struggle. I feel way more at home buried deep in the borderlands. Once I finish with Roth, my next will be The Bride of Lammermoor. I can't tell you how much I am enjoying my trip through Scot's world.

The thing that has surprised me most about reading Scot is how much I am learning about the deep underlying roots of the history of the American South. We (I use we loosely, I'm part Dutch and me mum was born in Bolton, Lancs.) are primarily descendents of the same Scottish folk that Scot sends into exile in America, complete with all their religious beliefs and the problems that come with insularity and suspicion of others. It's really fascinating.

What I really need is a historical geography of Scotland. Some of it's geography leaves me confused. I see Edinburgh, the capital of lowland Scotland and Glasgow, the capital of the Highlands (by capital I mean seat of government), but when I look at the map they appear to be basically the same latitude. Why wouldn't someplace like Aberdeen be the Highland capital?

Oh, well, I'm happy to see this group and expect to participate for a while. My goal is to read all of Scot.

Oz, if you see this msg. imagine my surprise on reading Rob Roy, not at all like Liam Neeson, when I met the Osbaldistone family.

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I hail from Glasgow and it is in what we call the Central Belt dividing the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland. Glasgow is much larger than Edinburgh in terms of population, commerce, air traffic, Universities etc. The north of Glasgow is sheltered by the Campsie Fells and is only a stone's throw from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.

Listening to Audible's edition of Kidnapped.

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Great choice

Finished Kidnapped today, and posted a review, but will await to see if the publisher intends to use the same narrator for Catriona before I undertake the sequel.

While I wait, I might see if I can find a good narration of Rob Roy by Walter Scott for next week's commuting time. Does anyone have a narrator they would recommend?

Currently reading what is either a poor translation of Madame Bovary or Gustave Flaubert is not the writer I was led to believe he was. I want to believe it's the former, but we'll see. I am just starting Part III. I was told that Emma Bovary was a self-centered, spoiled young girl, which is not what I see. I see a young, intelligent somewhat spoiled, girl driven by fantasy into a marriage to a mediocre man with essentially no way out.

I'm reading this now because I wanted to compare Emma Bovary with the most self-centered, egoistic, spoiled child I have yet encountered in literature, Undine Spragg. So far, Emma Bovary comes off a piker compared to Ms.Spragg. I'm actually somewhat disappointed in Emma. However, Madame Bovary is not half the novel Custom of the Country is, either.

I cannot recommend Ms. Wharton's book highly enough, while I would only recommend Madame Bovary to the Francophiles among us.

Oh, well, still a third to go, maybe Emma will bloom yet, and Flaubert's story telling skills will improve.

>7 Sile:

I have not listened to any Stevenson on audio as far as I am aware, although I have watched a couple of Visual Reproductions.

Just finished Kidnapped. I never tire of it.

I feel I need to read some more Scott soon.

My Scottish authors this year have been Scott, Stevenson and Buchan; Stevenson mostly so...

The Silverado Squatters - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Old and the New Pacific Capitals - Robert Louis Stevenson
A Mountain Town in France - Robert Louis Stevenson
Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Heart of Midlothian - Sir Walter Scott
The Thirty-Nine Steps - John Buchan
Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson
Catriona - Robert Louis Stevenson

Half way through this year my Scottish reads have been...

Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Scotch by Robert Bruce Lockhart
Guy Mannering by Sir Walter Scott

Not many but I have enjoyed them all.

So far, a dearth of Scottish connections in this year's reads, limited to Keith Foskett's enjoyable saunter from the top to the tail of the country.

High and Low: How I Hiked Away From Depression Across Scotland.

So having finished The Antiquary I'm looking to Stevenson once more for my next Scottish read, Prince Otto. When I start it, is another matter altogether.

Since we are in lockdown, I am reading The Scottish Clearances by T. M. Devine. I'm hoping to educate myself on this part of history, while also attempting to practice my Gaelic without the benefit of my classes.

I've been meaning to read The Drove Roads of Scotland by A.R.B. Haldane forever. Probably no better chance than now.
In terms of our homeland, nothing much to report of in reading this year, other than Kidnapped by RLS and Macbeth by WS.

Just discovered and devoured The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd.

AMAZING

And started The Drove Roads of Scotland by A.R.B. Haldane tonight.

I am nearly finished Findings by Kathleen Jamie. Each chapter is a new discovery. I am loving her writing style.

Not long finished one I haven't read since I was a bairn, and even back then around 50 years ago I suspect it was an abridged picture book edition for those not yet near their teens: Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. What a great book, and his characters are memorable.

Also just composted Kidnapped. It never gets dull. Love it.