What do you think?
Rate this book
West
A new collection of poems inspired by the landscapes of Scotland and beyond, and dedicated to Kenneth’s late sister, peace activist Helen ‘She was Scotland to me …’
Kenneth Steven is best-known as a poet, although he’s also very much a novelist and children’s author. It’s the wildscape of Scotland that has been his primary inspiration. He grew up in Highland Perthshire and was taken every summer to the west coast and the islands. At the heart of those islands was Iona, the place that from childhood has been his spiritual home.
The poems are full of shining images of land and sea, and of echoes of the people who once lived in these wild and remote places; a potent reminder of the history in our geographies.
Kathy Galloway
Kenneth is regarded as one of Scotland’s finest poets and prose writers, gaining excellent reviews for his work. His admirers have included the late Poet Laureate Ted Hughes.
Ron Ferguson
Kenneth Steven is best-known as a poet, although he’s also very much a novelist and children’s author. It’s the wildscape of Scotland that has been his primary inspiration. He grew up in Highland Perthshire and was taken every summer to the west coast and the islands. At the heart of those islands was Iona, the place that from childhood has been his spiritual home.
The poems are full of shining images of land and sea, and of echoes of the people who once lived in these wild and remote places; a potent reminder of the history in our geographies.
Kathy Galloway
Kenneth is regarded as one of Scotland’s finest poets and prose writers, gaining excellent reviews for his work. His admirers have included the late Poet Laureate Ted Hughes.
Ron Ferguson
Kindle Edition
Published September 20, 2022
About the author
Kenneth Steven
111 books10 followersKenneth Steven is a translator, writer, and poet. His longest translation, The Half Brother, was long-listed for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and short-listed for the international IMPAC Award. He often completes work for NORLA (Norwegian Literature Abroad).
He lives in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland.
He lives in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 18, 2025
I loved this book and it is one of the books that stay within easy reach for frequent dipping in. I know Mull, though not well and love Iona so it resonates very much with me and in just a few lines he evokes all that the islands are, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
April 7, 2020
3.75 stars
IMO not as strong as some of Steven’s previous collections. Many of the poems are more like photographs than paintings.
IMO not as strong as some of Steven’s previous collections. Many of the poems are more like photographs than paintings.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews