
Reading this while heading to the Tropic of Capricorn. Worlds apart!
Reading this while heading to the Tropic of Capricorn. Worlds apart!
Rizzo, by Denise Mina (2021)
Premise: A novella reconstructing the events of an attempted palace coup in in the court of Mary Queen of Scots in 1566, revolving around the assassination of her private secretary, David Rizzio.
Review: I really enjoyed this, and, I think, all the more for its brevity. Cont.
This book looks at the tiny, remote culture of St Kilda, an outer Hebridean island group evacuated of its human population in the 1930s. It‘s a very interesting read told in an engaging fashion with little bits of humor here and there. I really enjoyed it and would love to visit there someday.
4 Stars • "How the Scots Invented the Modern World" by Arthur Herman is a historical exploration of the profound impact Scotland and its people have had on the development of the modern world. The book delves into the significant contributions of the Scots in various fields such as science, philosophy, literature, education, medicine, commerce, and politics during the 18th and 19th centuries. ⬇️
Same strengths and weaknesses as the book about the Picts: strong in wars and names, sometimes a bit dry, but highly informative. I wish there would've been more about the daily lives of people, their cultures etc. But if you're looking for a good overview of the early days of Scotland (or the British Isles generally), I can highly recommend Tim Clarkson. It was a fascinating ride through history.