What do you think?
Rate this book
Island on the edge of the world: The story of St. Kilda
Book by Maclean, Charles
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1972
17 people are currently reading
476 people want to read
About the author
Charles Maclean
31 books12 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the goodreads data base.
Charles Maclean is the author of crime thrillers, and has also written about the Scottish countryside and other non-fiction.
He is the son of Sir Fitzroy Maclean – an Etonian, brilliant linguist, near-legendary adventurer, war hero, diplomat and author of Eastern Approaches. Charles Maclean is something of an adventurer himself, and certainly in his own literary journey. His first job was helping set up the Ecologist magazine; he also worked on a ranch, and as a merchant seaman. His 1972 book, St Kilda: Island on the Edge of the World, is an evocative study of the island that has never been out of print. Other successes as a non-fiction writer included 1977's The Wolf Children, examining the cases of two girls in India, claimed as feral children raised in the wild.
Charles Maclean is the author of crime thrillers, and has also written about the Scottish countryside and other non-fiction.
He is the son of Sir Fitzroy Maclean – an Etonian, brilliant linguist, near-legendary adventurer, war hero, diplomat and author of Eastern Approaches. Charles Maclean is something of an adventurer himself, and certainly in his own literary journey. His first job was helping set up the Ecologist magazine; he also worked on a ranch, and as a merchant seaman. His 1972 book, St Kilda: Island on the Edge of the World, is an evocative study of the island that has never been out of print. Other successes as a non-fiction writer included 1977's The Wolf Children, examining the cases of two girls in India, claimed as feral children raised in the wild.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 8, 2015
Around the World = St Kilda.
St. Kilda is an archipelago in the Western Isles of Scotland, some 40 miles from the next nearest inhabited island. For more than 2000 years the island was inhabited by a small population, eking out an existance in near splendid isolation in the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic.
Drawing on the accounts of visitors from the 17th Century onwards, Maclean details the native population's struggle to come to terms with encroaching modernity and increased contact with outsiders, bringing with it greater dependence on charity and an gradual erosion of their independence, until, following tragic events, the remaining islanders were evacuated to mainland Scotland in 1930.
There is a tendency to view the St. Kildan community as a utopian society, natives living the simple life in perfect harmony and co-operation, despoiled by external influences, however Maclean succeeds in avoiding this sentimental trope, concentrating on the realities of life to produce a well-written social and natural history of a fascinating place.
St. Kilda is an archipelago in the Western Isles of Scotland, some 40 miles from the next nearest inhabited island. For more than 2000 years the island was inhabited by a small population, eking out an existance in near splendid isolation in the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic.
Drawing on the accounts of visitors from the 17th Century onwards, Maclean details the native population's struggle to come to terms with encroaching modernity and increased contact with outsiders, bringing with it greater dependence on charity and an gradual erosion of their independence, until, following tragic events, the remaining islanders were evacuated to mainland Scotland in 1930.
There is a tendency to view the St. Kildan community as a utopian society, natives living the simple life in perfect harmony and co-operation, despoiled by external influences, however Maclean succeeds in avoiding this sentimental trope, concentrating on the realities of life to produce a well-written social and natural history of a fascinating place.
January 24, 2008
I've always had a thing for remote places. I love deserts, I love mountains and I love islands -- the more remote, the better. So when I visited Dunvegan Castle on the Scottish isle of Skye and came across a photo exhibition about the evacuation of St Kilda, I was intrigued. Sufficiently so to buy this book.
St Kilda, for those who don't know their UK topography, is a group of four small islands west of the Outer Hebrides, so far away from the Scottish mainland they're not even on most maps. Until 1930, a small community of hugely isolated islanders lived there, living off seabirds and occasionally making a tiny profit off them. Until the mid-nineteenth century, they were reasonably happy; then the world lost its interest in St Kilda produce, tourists introduced the islanders to modern conveniences and the previously strong islanders started falling prey to diseases carried by their well-intending visitors. By 1900 the community was no longer socially or economically viable, and in 1930 the last remaining islanders were evacuated, leaving the isles to the sheep, the cats and the birds.
Charles Maclean does a great job telling the story of St Kilda from its origins (still somewhat unknown) to its tragic end. He describes the way the local community was run, how it kept itself alive despite the harsh conditions (let's just say seabirds have many, many uses) and how it responded to visitors from the outside, some of whom got to exert an unhealthy influence on them. In addition, he freely quotes seventeenth-, eighteenth- and nineteenth-century authors who visited the island, comparing their accounts with later eyewitness accounts and his own impressions of the island, which is now a bird sanctuary. Mostly he focuses on the tragedy of native people who succumb to outside influences -- a universal story which never fails to make one feel sad. He describes the St Kildans with obvious admiration and affection, but avoids over-romanticising them or turning them into Noble Savages. In short, he comes up with a fine, well-written piece of social history about a place which sadly saw itself overtaken by the modern era. Now if only I could visit St Kilda and take some photos of those cliffs, birds and ruins...
St Kilda, for those who don't know their UK topography, is a group of four small islands west of the Outer Hebrides, so far away from the Scottish mainland they're not even on most maps. Until 1930, a small community of hugely isolated islanders lived there, living off seabirds and occasionally making a tiny profit off them. Until the mid-nineteenth century, they were reasonably happy; then the world lost its interest in St Kilda produce, tourists introduced the islanders to modern conveniences and the previously strong islanders started falling prey to diseases carried by their well-intending visitors. By 1900 the community was no longer socially or economically viable, and in 1930 the last remaining islanders were evacuated, leaving the isles to the sheep, the cats and the birds.
Charles Maclean does a great job telling the story of St Kilda from its origins (still somewhat unknown) to its tragic end. He describes the way the local community was run, how it kept itself alive despite the harsh conditions (let's just say seabirds have many, many uses) and how it responded to visitors from the outside, some of whom got to exert an unhealthy influence on them. In addition, he freely quotes seventeenth-, eighteenth- and nineteenth-century authors who visited the island, comparing their accounts with later eyewitness accounts and his own impressions of the island, which is now a bird sanctuary. Mostly he focuses on the tragedy of native people who succumb to outside influences -- a universal story which never fails to make one feel sad. He describes the St Kildans with obvious admiration and affection, but avoids over-romanticising them or turning them into Noble Savages. In short, he comes up with a fine, well-written piece of social history about a place which sadly saw itself overtaken by the modern era. Now if only I could visit St Kilda and take some photos of those cliffs, birds and ruins...
January 1, 2019
Åh, att börja bokåret utopiskt, med lite sund idealism. Sökte öböcker på Sheen Bookshop och fann den här i avdelningen reseskildringar. Författaren förmedlar antropologiskt och pedagogiskt, med ytterst respektfull ton, hur invånarna levde primitivt på St. Kilda, en i våra dagar obefolkad liten ögrupp utanför de Yttre Hebriderna.
Patriarkal struktur? Ja. Fiske som huvudnäring och föda? Nej! De levde på sjöfågel, fast sov på halm för fjädrarna exporterades. Boken är full av liknande överraskningar och motsägelser. Noterar att stkildianerna inte hade tid och möjlighet att ägna sig åt konst och jag kan inte föreställa mig ett idealt samhälle utan det. Ett helt annat exempel på ett scenario som fascinerar är när 18 av öborna åkte till en grannö och blev intervjuade. På varje fråga svarade de fullständigt samstämmigt och bokstavligt talat unisont, som en kör!
Skrevs 1972, men är väldigt nu, då författaren påpekar att med de klimathot vi står inför behöver vi alla tänka på att förenkla och anpassa vår livsstil.
Patriarkal struktur? Ja. Fiske som huvudnäring och föda? Nej! De levde på sjöfågel, fast sov på halm för fjädrarna exporterades. Boken är full av liknande överraskningar och motsägelser. Noterar att stkildianerna inte hade tid och möjlighet att ägna sig åt konst och jag kan inte föreställa mig ett idealt samhälle utan det. Ett helt annat exempel på ett scenario som fascinerar är när 18 av öborna åkte till en grannö och blev intervjuade. På varje fråga svarade de fullständigt samstämmigt och bokstavligt talat unisont, som en kör!
Skrevs 1972, men är väldigt nu, då författaren påpekar att med de klimathot vi står inför behöver vi alla tänka på att förenkla och anpassa vår livsstil.
November 2, 2012
I love islands and especially the ones with old cultures. I wasn't disappointed reading this book about the Kilda Islands laying west of the Hebrides.
It was a wonderful read and realized that for centuries these islands were inhabited and provided a living for its people. Their lives became disturbed when modernization was introduced and bit by bit their culture broke down. In the end it was impossible for the remaining inhabitants to earn a living on a only spot in the Atlantic and they left and moved to the mainland of Scotland.
The author made it a wonderful story to read, referring to several old sources and developing a world and a way of living which was bound to disappear. It's lucky that the National Trust of Scotland will restore some of the dwelling on Hirta and do research. Now the islands are the homes of the seabirds, which were once the main part of the food of the former inhabitants.
It was a wonderful read and realized that for centuries these islands were inhabited and provided a living for its people. Their lives became disturbed when modernization was introduced and bit by bit their culture broke down. In the end it was impossible for the remaining inhabitants to earn a living on a only spot in the Atlantic and they left and moved to the mainland of Scotland.
The author made it a wonderful story to read, referring to several old sources and developing a world and a way of living which was bound to disappear. It's lucky that the National Trust of Scotland will restore some of the dwelling on Hirta and do research. Now the islands are the homes of the seabirds, which were once the main part of the food of the former inhabitants.
October 9, 2022
What an AMAZING deep dive into the island of St. Kilda. This is an ethnographic, geographical, cultural, social, anthropologic, historic, folkloric, psychologic, political, zoologic exploration of this remote island in Scotland, which remained highly isolated from the rest of society for centuries.
The author does a wonderful job at telling it as it was (a rigorous account of facts) while still managing to communicate how special this island was: how it tells a story about the potential of communities, the power of adaptation, the problems with modern society, the conflicting nature of change... And so much more. The story of St Kilda is truly a fascinating analogy to many aspects of society at large, and there's lots to learn from it. How do societies change when civilizations collide? How do we deal with an increasingly globalized world? What's the nature of human beings, if there is any? To what extent are we shaped by our nature or by our hegemonic economic, religious, and political systems? What is a good society? What's the role of the individual vs the collective? Maaaany good questions that would make for a nice, long, probably inconclusive conversation!
The author does a wonderful job at telling it as it was (a rigorous account of facts) while still managing to communicate how special this island was: how it tells a story about the potential of communities, the power of adaptation, the problems with modern society, the conflicting nature of change... And so much more. The story of St Kilda is truly a fascinating analogy to many aspects of society at large, and there's lots to learn from it. How do societies change when civilizations collide? How do we deal with an increasingly globalized world? What's the nature of human beings, if there is any? To what extent are we shaped by our nature or by our hegemonic economic, religious, and political systems? What is a good society? What's the role of the individual vs the collective? Maaaany good questions that would make for a nice, long, probably inconclusive conversation!
July 27, 2023
Two years ago I came across the historical fiction novel The Lost Lights of St. Kilda, until then I had never heard of such a place. The fictional part of the story was so-so but the historical part that dealt with this island and its history, culture, etc. fascinated me. With my interest piqued I began reading and researching this archipelago and have continued to do so over the past few years. I recently came across this book and knew I had to read it. Maclean takes the reader on a history of St. Kilda from its earliest known references to its agricultural and bird fowling history on through to its decline and subsequent evacuation of all the remaining inhabitants. I enjoyed this one very much, 4.5 stars.
September 16, 2013
'Island on the Edge of the World' deals with the history of St. Kilda, an archipelago roughly 40 miles west of Harris in the Atlantic - so far out from the rest of the Hebrides that it doesn't even appear on maps.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the islands were inhabited from some time during the Iron Age, until the voluntary evacuation in 1930 of the remaining 37 people. Using a variety of resources mostly dating from the 17th C. onwards, MacLean details both the success of the community - 2000 years of living in such isolation is no mean feat - and the final failures to continue doing so. A naturally declining population, the excessive influence of the Church, disease (in the 19th C. tetanus killed 80% of new born infants on Hirta)and ultimately a too rapid exposure to the outside world all played their part in bringing a close to the community's history on the island.
In general MacLean writes well, but the book is a product of its time, and I became annoyed at the lack of discussion - or at time even mention - of the women of the island. 'When there was a death in St. Kilda the news was cried throughout the island so that everyone could stop work and return home . . . laments were composed, telling of the good deeds and fine character of the dead man, commending his soul' MacLean 2006, 45-46). I can only presume from this that the women of St. Kilda in fact never died.
That aside, this is probably still one of the finest contemporary histories available about St. Kilda, and you would have to have a stony heart indeed not to feel the intense sorrow of the tragedy of the last 50 years of the community and the final evacuation. Recommended reading.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the islands were inhabited from some time during the Iron Age, until the voluntary evacuation in 1930 of the remaining 37 people. Using a variety of resources mostly dating from the 17th C. onwards, MacLean details both the success of the community - 2000 years of living in such isolation is no mean feat - and the final failures to continue doing so. A naturally declining population, the excessive influence of the Church, disease (in the 19th C. tetanus killed 80% of new born infants on Hirta)and ultimately a too rapid exposure to the outside world all played their part in bringing a close to the community's history on the island.
In general MacLean writes well, but the book is a product of its time, and I became annoyed at the lack of discussion - or at time even mention - of the women of the island. 'When there was a death in St. Kilda the news was cried throughout the island so that everyone could stop work and return home . . . laments were composed, telling of the good deeds and fine character of the dead man, commending his soul' MacLean 2006, 45-46). I can only presume from this that the women of St. Kilda in fact never died.
That aside, this is probably still one of the finest contemporary histories available about St. Kilda, and you would have to have a stony heart indeed not to feel the intense sorrow of the tragedy of the last 50 years of the community and the final evacuation. Recommended reading.
January 3, 2022
Very good book on the remarkable community of St. Kilda. There isn't much writing from the time the islands were still inhabited and as far as I can tell, it's all through the eyes of outsiders. Still, the author manages to cover all the different aspects of their life and history and does so with more sensibility than previous authors. This is not just the story of St. Kilda, but also an example of what happens when an isolated island culture comes in (increasing) contact with the outside world and it remains a sad one.
July 5, 2025
been a bit obsessed with st kilda for a few months so was good to delve into thjs, despite it being quite dense and dry at times.
wish there was more focus on the cragsmen and rock climbing
wish there was more focus on the cragsmen and rock climbing
March 6, 2014
Being on a book buying hiatus means, sometimes, one has to improvise and seeing that I wanted to find a remote Scottish island in mortal meltdown, had to make do with this film instead. Set on a Shetland Isle instead of the furthest Hebrides, the island becomes abandoned due to the lure of wages and bright lights of the mainland.
I could have spent the whole film taking breathtaking snapsghots but this one will do just fine to demonstrate remote island community spirit in regard of a rare birth.
1937 film 'The Edge of the World' in the projector ready for the next ironing session.
John Laurie ... Peter Manson
Belle Chrystall ... Ruth Manson - His Daughter
Eric Berry ... Robbie Manson - Her Brother
Kitty Kirwan ... Jean Manson - Their Grandmother
Finlay Currie ... James Gray
Niall MacGinnis ... Andrew Gray - His Son (as Niall Macginnis)
Grant Sutherland ... John - the Catechist
Campbell Robson ... Mr. Dunbar - the Laird
George Summers ... Trawler Skipper
IMDB blurb - A trio wanders the cliffs of a Shetland island and encounters a gravestone at the edge of a precipice; it reads, "Peter Manson ... gone over." One man in the trio knows the story of the gravestone and tells it to the others... It is ten years earlier, and the way of life on the island is dying; steam trawlers from the mainland threaten its survival as a fishing port. Peter Manson, one of the community's leaders, resists evacuating to the mainland, though his son Robbie is about to leave the island himself. Meanwhile, Robbie's twin sister plans to marry his best friend, Andrew Gray. Andrew and Robbie argue over evacuation and decide to settle the matter by racing to the top of a cliff. Ruth is terrified: she may lose them both. The race ends in tragedy, which tears apart the families of Manson and Gray. Times passes and Ruth reveals she is pregnant with an illegitimate child. This promises to bring the two families back together
I could have spent the whole film taking breathtaking snapsghots but this one will do just fine to demonstrate remote island community spirit in regard of a rare birth.
1937 film 'The Edge of the World' in the projector ready for the next ironing session.
John Laurie ... Peter Manson
Belle Chrystall ... Ruth Manson - His Daughter
Eric Berry ... Robbie Manson - Her Brother
Kitty Kirwan ... Jean Manson - Their Grandmother
Finlay Currie ... James Gray
Niall MacGinnis ... Andrew Gray - His Son (as Niall Macginnis)
Grant Sutherland ... John - the Catechist
Campbell Robson ... Mr. Dunbar - the Laird
George Summers ... Trawler Skipper
IMDB blurb - A trio wanders the cliffs of a Shetland island and encounters a gravestone at the edge of a precipice; it reads, "Peter Manson ... gone over." One man in the trio knows the story of the gravestone and tells it to the others... It is ten years earlier, and the way of life on the island is dying; steam trawlers from the mainland threaten its survival as a fishing port. Peter Manson, one of the community's leaders, resists evacuating to the mainland, though his son Robbie is about to leave the island himself. Meanwhile, Robbie's twin sister plans to marry his best friend, Andrew Gray. Andrew and Robbie argue over evacuation and decide to settle the matter by racing to the top of a cliff. Ruth is terrified: she may lose them both. The race ends in tragedy, which tears apart the families of Manson and Gray. Times passes and Ruth reveals she is pregnant with an illegitimate child. This promises to bring the two families back together
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2021
Fascinating and insightful whilst avoiding rose tinted sentimentality. The history of St Kilda and it’s children is a mixture of enthralling and heartbreaking.
Maclean guides us through the history of the island in just the right amount of detail to immerse us without grinding to a halt in minutiae. An enjoyable read for someone like myself who wished to know more about St Kilda’s history more generally and serves as a great jumping-off point for further reading into specific topics.
This work has certainly inspired me to visit St Kilda one day before going “over the edge”. As future generations care for the island and continue to write it’s story, I believe this work will serve in posterity as an accessible and intriguing place where prospective “Guardians of St Kilda” may start their journey.
Maclean guides us through the history of the island in just the right amount of detail to immerse us without grinding to a halt in minutiae. An enjoyable read for someone like myself who wished to know more about St Kilda’s history more generally and serves as a great jumping-off point for further reading into specific topics.
This work has certainly inspired me to visit St Kilda one day before going “over the edge”. As future generations care for the island and continue to write it’s story, I believe this work will serve in posterity as an accessible and intriguing place where prospective “Guardians of St Kilda” may start their journey.
February 22, 2023
Een zeer interessante studie die ik kon linken aan twee andere studies waarvan ik kennis genomen heb:
1. Eilandbiogeografie... (David Quammen, Het lied van de dodo)... hoe leeft en evolueert een kleine gemeenschap die geïsoleerd is van de rest van de wereld?
2. Wat gebeurt er met een geïsoleerde gemeenschap wanneer die in contact komt met "indringers"? (Jared Diamond, Guns, germs and steel. The fate of human societies)
In zijn slotbeschouwing bespreekt Charles Maclean enkele zeer interessante gedachten met betrekking tot utopieën en zogenaamd ideale gemeenschappen. Die bedenkingen dateren van begin de jaren '70 van de vorige eeuw en zijn des te interessanter wanneer je ze plaatst tegen de evolutie die de globalisering de voorbije 50 jaar doorgemaakt heeft, de huidige toestand van onze planeet en de mogelijke verdere evolutie.
1. Eilandbiogeografie... (David Quammen, Het lied van de dodo)... hoe leeft en evolueert een kleine gemeenschap die geïsoleerd is van de rest van de wereld?
2. Wat gebeurt er met een geïsoleerde gemeenschap wanneer die in contact komt met "indringers"? (Jared Diamond, Guns, germs and steel. The fate of human societies)
In zijn slotbeschouwing bespreekt Charles Maclean enkele zeer interessante gedachten met betrekking tot utopieën en zogenaamd ideale gemeenschappen. Die bedenkingen dateren van begin de jaren '70 van de vorige eeuw en zijn des te interessanter wanneer je ze plaatst tegen de evolutie die de globalisering de voorbije 50 jaar doorgemaakt heeft, de huidige toestand van onze planeet en de mogelijke verdere evolutie.
November 30, 2024
Easy 5 stars.
Extremely readable, fantastic anecdotes + stories and generally paints an easy to consume, non academic narrative of events. Glad it addresses the problems of exoticism that plagued(s) highland and island culture. A problem that leeches upon Scottish Culture to this day.
Although, I will choose to ignore some of the bizarre comments and sloppy ‘civilising - barbarian’ analysis thrown in throughout (plus large parts of the final chapter). Apart from this, a great deal of the authors personal analysis seemed agreeable if not a bit dated.
Extremely readable, fantastic anecdotes + stories and generally paints an easy to consume, non academic narrative of events. Glad it addresses the problems of exoticism that plagued(s) highland and island culture. A problem that leeches upon Scottish Culture to this day.
Although, I will choose to ignore some of the bizarre comments and sloppy ‘civilising - barbarian’ analysis thrown in throughout (plus large parts of the final chapter). Apart from this, a great deal of the authors personal analysis seemed agreeable if not a bit dated.
June 30, 2019
This is a history of St. Kilda, an island near Scotland that was inhabited by an isolated community until 1930, when they asked to be evacuated. The St. Kildans had an almost utopian society, independent of the mainland, but over time they came to rely more and more on charity and tourism, and their delicately balanced way of life declined. It's a fascinating look at how modernisation isn't always progress (although if gannets were the only thing to eat, I think I'd throw the towel in too).
May 28, 2023
Hard to believe a community like that of St Kilda existed until the mid 20th century and only passed out of living memory in the last decade. This book goes a long way to capturing what it was like to live in one the most remote places in Britain and examines how in the end it was the advancement of the rest of civilisation that brought about its downfall. I'd be keen to see a revised edition with updates on what has happened since evacuation.
June 11, 2024
4.5 - Great treasure trove of information about St Kilda, with a caveat regarding outdated language and the some heavy bias coming through MacLean’s writing. It’s also interesting he mentions the St Kildans still alive have a lot of views on St Kilda but didn’t include them which was a shame. However this is one of my favourite history/geography books to read, and St Kilda is a fascinating subject.
April 6, 2022
Interesting read
I loved the different descriptions of life on St Kilda, had recently read a fiction book based in St Kilda and since then have been intrigued by life on St Kilda. This book gives a great insight into what life was like for the people living there.
I loved the different descriptions of life on St Kilda, had recently read a fiction book based in St Kilda and since then have been intrigued by life on St Kilda. This book gives a great insight into what life was like for the people living there.
August 7, 2018
A fantastic view of lost world
April 20, 2019
Very interesting. Well written. Would recommend for anyone interested in history.
October 16, 2020
Fascinating read
July 9, 2022
Terrific
January 13, 2023
Mjög áhugaverð saga og að mörgu leyti vel sögð. Samt mikið af yikes mómentum sem útskýrast líklega á því að bókin er skrifuð af breskum karli árið 1972.
July 27, 2023
A fascinating look at an isolated place; a concise anthropology of the society.
September 3, 2024
One of the most enchanting, fascinating and thought provoking books I have ever read
January 4, 2025
Really interesting insight into what lead to the evacuation. A bit repetitive.
September 10, 2025
St. Kilda is a longtime topic of interest and I devoured this short book. The author seems quite biased against Scottish Presbyterianism, but aside from this one complaint, this was a pleasant read.
December 31, 2021
A thorough primer on the history of the remote Scottish island of St Kilda, from its first settlers in Neolithic times to its evacuation in 1930. MacLean's accounts of day to day life on the island are fascinating, particularly the tales of the daily parliaments and the fulmar hunts. This was a simple society, thriving in the harshest of environments, until organised religion arrived in the 1800s and disrupted its well-established routines, and the advent of the tourist trade brought new diseases that the isolated St Kildans had no immunity against. A compelling and ultimately heartbreaking story, and one we should take care to learn from.
May 21, 2013
I read this when I was 12 and loved it. Ever since reading it I have sought our information on St Kilda and regularly check online to see how the restoration of some of the houses is going. From the book I remember the damage done by the draconian vicar whose church services disrupted village life, the precarious methods of hunting seabirds and the ill advised practise of rubbing new born babies with bird oil. It's a pretty sad story set against a spectacular backdrop. One day I will go there and see it for myself.
December 27, 2025
It’s been a busy month with lots of travel and not much reading. Just finished this. It’s been a long time since I learned things about a topic I had known literally nothing about. St. Kilda - part of the Outer Hebrides. Home to the last isolated community in the UK. Evacuated after WWII. The writing went a bit back and forth chronologically, but you get to learn about architecture, agriculture, foodways, and social customs.
Read
April 11, 2010Island on the Edge of the World: Story of St.Kilda (Canongate Classics S.) by Charles Maclean (2001)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews