Hometown Tales: Glasgow

by Kirsty Logan, Paul McQuade

Original tales by remarkable writers

Hometown Tales is a series of books pairing exciting new voices with some of the most talented and important writers at work today. Some of the tales are fiction and some are narrative non-fiction - they are all powerful, fascinating and moving, and aim to celebrate regional diversity and explore the meaning of home.

In these pages on Glasgow, you'll find two unique memoirs. 'The Old Asylum in the Woods' is an intimate, intensely moving account of growing up in the shadow of Woodilee Hospital by author of The Gracekeepers and The Gloaming, Kirsty Logan. 'Glasgow Sang' is a deeply personal journey on foot through the city, from Kelvin Way Bridge to George Square to the statue of La Pasionaria, by Paul McQuade.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays

Audible Audio

First published June 28, 2018

About the author

Kirsty Logan is a professional daydreamer. She is the author of two novels, The Gloaming and The Gracekeepers, and two story collections, A Portable Shelter and The Rental Heart & Other Fairytales. Her fifth book, Things We Say in the Dark, will be published on Halloween 2019.

Kirsty lives in Glasgow with her wife and their rescue dog. She has tattooed toes.

Reviews

[Amber Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star for Kirsty Logan's piece, so vulnerable.

Dnf McQuade

[Souriisreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of two stories by two Scottish authors, which seems to align with the theme described on the back cover — pairing new voices with established talent. I really liked the first story by Kirsty Logan. It was easy to follow and digest, and I felt genuinely connected to it. It felt personal and effortless.

However, I struggled with the second story. It jumped from one thing to another, mixing history, literature, and personal fragments. There were too many unfamiliar references for a non-Scottish reader, along with many phrases left untranslated in English. I couldn’t quite grasp the point of the story or what the author was trying to say. Paul McQuade clearly has a lot to express about life, literature, and history, but I think he needs to think it through more carefully before putting it into writing. The story would benefit from greater structure, a smoother flow, and a clearer sense of purpose.

[Havelock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kirsty Logan's half was fascinating, but Paul McQuade's half was too meandering for me to enjoy it.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Logan’s piece is so intimate and touching! But the second story is hard to follow

[Gemma Dornan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook of this and found Kirsty Logan’s part incredibly moving and personable.
I enjoyed the latter part from Paul McQuade it was like a walk stream of consciousness.

[Gina Lyle]

I really enjoyed Logan's story and its comments on the difficulty of containing so much experience within the confines of the form. Reading McQuade's overly ambitious attempt to encapsulate the whole of Glasgow and his life experience after Logan's work really showed that difficulty.