Elizabeth Sutherland had an Orcadian father and a mother from Fife, which, she claims, makes her a Pict. After training at Edinburgh University to be a social worker, she married an Episcopalian clergyman and lived in four Scottish parishes, ending up in Fortrose, on the Black Isle.
On her late husband's retirement in 1982 she took over Groam House Museum in Rosemarkie and was responsible for its becoming a Pictish Centre. Her work on Coinneach Odhar - the Brahan Seer - established her as a serious historian. The subject was especially relevant, as he ended his days in a burning barrel of tar at Chanonry Point, Fortrose.
Recently she has turned her hand to Black Isle local history in a series of pamphlets for Black Isle Press.
This is a survey book on the Picts, something like what Nora Chadwick did with Celtic Britain. There are some over-generalizations here but nothing wholly inaccurate. It gives a fairly accurate picture of Pictish life and a neutral perspective on their language. All of the stuff in here was fairly well agreed upon within the academic community when It first came out and is still reasonably up to date (apart from the information on the Pictish stones of course).
Comprehensive, informative and most importantly accessible.
A descriptive and well thought out and organised book detailing who the Picts were and insightful ideas into the meaning of the stones and carvings they left behind.
As someone with a simple casual interest in the subject this was a great book for understanding the Picts better.
The inclusion of illustrations made the book all the more enjoyable. A very interesting subject matter and a most likeable book detailing it.