Geordie

by David Harry Walker

After his father dies, a young Scottish boy turns to a mail-order body building course to increase his height and strength. His interest in body building and hammer throwing lead him to represent Britain in the 1956 Olympic Games in Boston.

Genres: Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

David Harry Walker was Scottish-born Canadian novelist. He was born in Dundee, Scotland, later moving to St Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada, where he began his career as a writer. His work has been made into films.

Reviews

[Ian Laird · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whimsical fable of wee lad who becomes gigantic and represents Great Britain at the Olympics.

I read this as a teenager, before I had read much else and I enjoyed it a lot. I’m pretty sure it was my first romantic book.

I was taken by the world our hero lives in (the particular rather isolated society of the Scottish Highlands). I liked how the world opens up for the innocent Geordie as his athletic prowess begins to attract all sorts of attention and he starts to travel. Remembering of course that home is where the heart belongs. When I saw the film adaptation not long after, with Bill Travers as Geordie, I was disconcerted to find that the shot-putter in the book had become a hammer thrower (understandable in cinematic terms).

[Elinor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author, a Scot transplanted to Canada, does a wonderful job of portraying the gentle, kindly Highlanders in this classic tale. His descriptions of Geordie’s trip to the Olympic Games in America and the tribulations of his romance with Jean are superb. The Scottish dialects are charming. This is a short, simply written book that will stay with you for a long time.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across 'Geordie' when I was a little boy, and it wasn't as a book, but the 1955 film adaptation instead. Made at a time when the British film industry was in a post-WW2 boom, the movie was (and still is) a quaint, light-hearted romantic comedy with some delightful Highlands context. Thankfully the movie was almost 100% faithful to the book, which I have finally read with great pleasure.

Walker writes of a Scottish highlands that is a slightly mythic place, not too different from Brigadoon, yet Geordie himself and several of the lead characters resonate with a strong Presbyterian honesty and decency that surely is more than make believe. There is a simplistic beauty and charm to Geordie, Jean and so many of the their immediate circle, with sufficient eccentricity from all the characters to raise a warm smile. Perhaps the author lays it on a bit thick with his use of the vernacular and Geordie's innocence, yet I can forgive him for these aspects of the novel as ultimately this is a loving homage to the highlands and to its people. I can also forgive Walker for his prose not being classically elegant or significant because it touches my ancestral Scottish heart.

There is one small trivia item that might interest those who read sports fiction; published in 1950 'Geordie' sees the eponymous protagonist representing Great Britain at a fictional Olympic Games held in Boston. I suspect this is partly due to Walker living in New Brunswick, Canada from 1948, plus Melbourne (which was the setting for the 1956 Olympic Games as well as the film adaptation) had not yet been chosen as host for the future games.

In summary, this is a sweet, sentimental and honest romantic comedy novel that engages with a vision of the Scottish highlands and her people that is now long gone. If you have a skerrick of Scottish blood in your veins I suggest you will enjoy it.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find it hard to believe it was first published in 1977 as I remember reading it as a young girl and read it more than once. The story is of a young Scottish lad who resorts to body building techniques and supplements to eventually compete in the Olympics and win his childhood sweetheart. Lovely. Quaint.

[Gloria]

Five books in one, from Readers Digest, along with “The man with the Golden Gun”, “The Vine and the Olive”, “The Source” and “The Century of the detective” Not sure when finished this, but guessing 1967

[Garry Nixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memorable because it was one of the first books I read that wasn't written for children, and because whilst I knew it was a good story, I also knew that it wasn't a great book, it wasn't what I would later come to regard as "literature".

[Anthony Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grabbed this book at a charity book sale, and have to say I might do this more often, to get hold of (perhaps) little-known old stories (this particular tale from 1950). It probably falls squarely into the realms of 'feel-good', though does have one moment of true sadness early on.

Geordie is introduced as a wee 14 year old laddie in the Highlands (though later, when travelling, he refers to the fact he's never left Perthshire), who, determined to grow big, signs up to a correspondence course lead by man-mountain Henry Samson.

Diligently sticking to his stretches and strength exercises, Geordie achieves his aim of becoming a muckle lad, who ends up taking over his father's job as a keeper, after the latter dies early in the tale (Geordie having carried him down from the hills after he took ill (we later find out he had a bad heart) while out stalking deer).

Geordie develops as a man, working for the eccentric and kindly laird, falling in love with his childhood friend Jean, and learning how to 'put the shot' by the Minister. All of this leads to him taking to the seas to compete in the Olympic Games in America where, true to the fool-good factor, he not only does well in the competition, but becomes the darling of America beforehand, lifting a car off a man trapped underneath after a crash, and throwing the shot dressed in his father's old Black Watch Kilt.

There's even time for a Scandinavian beauty (also a shot putter) to try to win his heart, and for him to have to explain his actions (and a terrible hat....) to Jean when he returns.

It's a simple tale, but one told with affection (and which I think got turned into a film at some point), and I'm more than glad I picked this up randomly at the sale.

[Chris Wiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Stand up wee Geordie!!" Commands the teacher. "I am standing up sir" says Wee Geordie. This book and the film with Bill Travers and the dear gift to Earth that was Alastair Sim has stayed with me my entire life. Suspend cynicism. Open your heart to old school. Geordie and The Quiet Man. And you too will have a body like Samson. And a heart as pure as your dreams of hope and longing. And maybe an Olympic Gold x

[Doodles McC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this Scottish story as a child. Geordie, follows a mail order body building course, eats his porridge, grows tall, is smitten by his best friend Jean, becomes an Olympian, but his girl and community back home is what matters to him most.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightfully positive. A simple story of simple Scottish people leaving a longing for that simplicity

[Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story. I gave it 5 stars, partially because it was written by David Walker, a resident of St. Andrews and a family friend.

[Farm Mum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was read to my class in primary school and my friend and I always remember it.

[Beatrice Drury · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely little book.

I know that the date published has to be before the 1977 listed since I read this before 1970.

[Endah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely classic story about a man named Geordie who is a shot-putting athlete from Scotland.