Crann-Fìge = Fig Tree: Short Stories

by Duncan Gillies, Donnchadh MacGillIosa

Cruinneachadh sgeulachdan làidir, brìoghmhor eile bho ùghdar Tocasaid ’Ain Tuirc. Coltach ri sgeulachdan na Tocasaid, a tha a’ togail ceann sa chruinneachadh seo cuideachd, ach lem blas is lem beatha fhèin. Tha feadhainn dhiubh suidhichte ann an Leòdhas san linn a chaidh, agus feadhainn suidhichte ann an àiteachan eile. Ach ge bith càite, eadar Nis agus Nèamh, tha iad uile air an innse ann an guth tarraingeach, dealbhach a tha a’ cur diomb leanaibh an cèill a cheart cho soilleir, fìor ’s a bheir e thugainn aithreachas boireannaich, no fiamh bodaich.

’S ann às a’ Chnoc Àrd ann an Nis a tha Donnchadh MacGillÌosa, an ceann-a-tuath Leòdhais. Seo an ceathramh cruinneachadh de sgeulachdan goirid aige air fhoillseachadh, agus a’ chiad leabhar leis far a bheil a’ Ghàidhlig is a’ Bheurla còmhla, taobh ri taobh.

A new collection of short stories from the author of Tocasaid ’Ain Tuirc, bringing the same sharp wit and observational skill to this evocation of Lewis life and people from last century intertwined with stories situated elsewhere, and giving as authentic a voice to an angry child’s resentment, a woman’s regret or an old man’s fears.

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Duncan Gillies is from Knockaird, in Ness, the northern tip of the Isle of Lewis. Fig Tree is his fourth published collection of short stories and the first book of his in which Gaelic and English appear together, side by side.

Reviews

[Guido]

A bilingual set of short stories, giving an insight into island life both in English and Gaelic. Sensitive, touching and insightful.

[Cameron Wilson]

This Gaelic is TOUGH dialect, I really struggled to get through without often checking the translation. Some of the stories are lovely though, some are very boring

[Eòghann]

péirceannachd

[Byron McQuain]

I bought it knowing nothing of the author, simply because it was facing-page gaelic/english so I could practice my gaelic. Minor complaint here was that the two languages dont always line up neatly so (if you are learning) page flipping is necessary back and forth since in many parts they are almost half a page off.
All said, I thoroughly enjoyed the stories. Quiet snapshots of life in Lewis, powerfully moving at times. I am excited to read more stuff by Gillies.