Read Scotland 2014 discussion

Gwen Kirkwood Heart of the Home: a Saga of life in rural Scotland.
This story is about a young woman who has just graduated from University in the early 1960's and is returning to her family's home in the border country of Scotland. The story touches on the position of women at the time, of ties to family and traditional roles, and how that is so much stronger in rural areas than it may have been in the cities at the time. Our characters live in an area where of both sheep and dairy farms, but our characters are most interested in Dairying, and the modern methods that were being developed at that time. I really enjoyed this book; the author is very good at developing characters, but I do feel that she could have greatly enriched the experience for the reader with more detail about the countryside.

Monarch of the Glen by Compton Mackenzie
I really wanted to read this book as it was the basis of the TV series that was done by the BBC - which I loved. I DO realize that it is NOT the same thing - the series is just a take-off suggested by the Mackenzie novel. But I thought there would be something in common that I could hang on to. There really wasn't except for a few names and the personality traits of the Monarch.... In all honesty, I couldn't make myself finish it before it was even over-due from the library, so I gave up. Maybe I will try it again. At this time of year, I need really light, easy reading and this took too much concentration for me to fill in the blanks about the time period and adjust to the language of that era. I think I am just not in the right mood.

i agree, suzi. i did the same thing. and felt exactly the same way. you have to wonder a little how they got that fantastic show out of what was in that book! definitely one of the rarer cases of movie/tv show being better than the book! i felt that way about james hilton's books too - they were better as movies. and mrs. miniver was a better movie than book.:)

Suzi wrote: "Monarch of the Glen by Compton Mackenzie
I really wanted to read this book as it was the basis of the TV series that was done by the BBC - which I loved. I DO realize that it is NOT the same thing..."

I was disappointed too that the book was so different from the show but I did enjoy the book. Enjoyed the show more though!

Suzi wrote: "Gwen Kirkwood Heart of the Home: a Saga of life in rural Scotland.
This story is about a young woman who has just graduated from University in the early 1960's and is returning to her family's home..."
Sounds good!

Starting Over
Finally started reading Robin Pilcher. His writing style is similar to his mum's; well developed story line, rich characters, and enough detail about the locale(s) to help the reader know where they are. Very enjoyable. I will read more of his work.

An Ocean Apart
Found another of Robin Pilcher's. This is how I read: I find an author that I like and rip through them as fast as I can find them... time permitting.... Once again, I am comfortable with the writing style and enjoy the characters very much. Since the setting for part of the story is in Scotland, this counts as another of my Scottish reads. Very enjoyable!

Fletcher's End
I have totally enjoyed a re-read of this excellent story by D.E. Stevenson. I look forward to participating in the discussion of this book with other cronies on the DES list. I always rush through the books and can never read at the more leisurely pace of the discussion.... This CAN count on my Scottish reads, as a portion of the story takes place in Scotland, and the author is decidedly Scottish!

The Full Cupboard of Life

Another of the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, we enjoy another peek at life in Gabarone, with Mme. Ramotwse and her family and friends. It is so enjoyable to be able to read a series of books where the story and characters continue so seamlessly.

September
How had I missed reading this novel when I first began to read Rosamunde Pilcher's books? No clue, but I am glad there are some that I have yet to read. I enjoyed this story very much - it has certain characteristics of Ms. Pilcher's writing, but in other ways is unique. This story brings together people from different areas and even countries and strings them all together through an event (similar), but there is a certain evil element that kept me on the edge of my seat... not quite a mystery but certainly an element of suspense.
I truly dislike stories that are so formulaic that you can guess how it will end, or what will happen, when you are not even half-way through, but that is not the case here. Ms. Pilcher gives us such neat twists that her books are always fresh and entertaining.
Now I need to find another....

Suzi wrote: "September
How had I missed reading this novel when I first began to read Rosamunde Pilcher's books? No clue, but I am glad there are some that I have yet to read. I enjoyed this sto..."
I enjoyed this book many many moons ago!

there is a pretty good movie of this too - with mariel hemmingway, michael york (i think) and jacqueline bissett.

Julie wrote: "there is a pretty good movie of this too - with mariel hemmingway, michael york (i think) and jacqueline bissett."
I saw a really old one with Angela Lansbury that was excellent

there is an old one of 'the shellseekers' with her, and a newer one with vanessa redgrave, which i also really liked. i have a dvd player with the PAL region, just so i can see a lot of the uk things that i can't get here :)

Julie wrote: "there is an old one of 'the shellseekers' with her, and a newer one with vanessa redgrave, which i also really liked. i have a dvd player with the PAL region, just so i can see a lot of the uk thi..."

your right Julie! I've gotten the books confused. Shell Seekers was the one I liked. You should get Tunnelbear a VPN and then you could watch UK TV online! I watch it all the time!

i don't know what that is? but it sounds like i want it! i'm not at all good with figuring out how to make electronics work - i have wanted to sign up for acorn tv, but have a pretty good feeling that i would never get it to work. can't even get our wireless printer to speak to our laptop and print wirelessly...don't you love/hate technology?!

Julie wrote: "i don't know what that is? but it sounds like i want it! i'm not at all good with figuring out how to make electronics work - i have wanted to sign up for acorn tv, but have a pretty good feeling..."
I'll send you a message with the info about tunnelbear!

I am also interested in UK TV!!

I have several books to add to my list. Just recently I have read through all of the 'Mrs. Tim' series by DE Stevenson: Mrs. Tim of the Regiment, Mrs. Tim Carries on, Mrs. Tim gets a job, and Mrs. Tim Flies Home. Most all of these have at least a portion of the story that takes place in Scotland - and DES is a native Scot. I simply love her novels and read them over and over again! DES is so very good at giving us real filled-out characters and in many of her books, but especially this series, we see the same people come through as well as new characters in each one. Not only do we see the same people, but we see them develop and change through situations and years. I also love her descriptions of places - you can actually 'see' the homes and villages in your mind's eye. And finally, the story lines. Totally believable, showing human frailties and resourcefulness, inherent goodness or waspishness; DES doesn't have too many truly evil villains, but she does describe that waspish, unsatisfied female very well, and all the nastiness they can spread. Fortunately, they are all managed well and we get those lovely happy endings that I enjoy.

I continue to work through my friend's collection of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books and this is the next on the list. How Mr. Smith creates such perfectly seamless stories, one after the other, is a credit to his writing skills. I also find it astonishing that these books were written my a man! As they show us the life of a traditionally built, traditionally raised woman of a Southern African country, I must constantly remind myself that it is NOT an autobiographical book of an amazing African woman's life! Where is the next book...? I can't wait to get started on the next one!

I have had this book on my shelf for years, and was sure that I had read it a long time ago. But I was hungry for a Rosamunde Pilcher, so I picked it up for a re-read. I must have read it in a fog, for I don't remember a bit of it. Imagine my surprise to find it totally new to me!
I have to admit that I don't really like the main story line, or the main characters. Maybe I am getting to old, but that self centered Oliver Dobbs is a moron of the highest degree (which is how I believe we are supposed to feel about him) but Victoria is such a silly young girl that I have to really stretch to believe that anyone could be that gullible. I do enjoy some of the other characters, and was surprised to see that the story moves to Creagan, in the Sutherland County of Scotland, where my favorite RP novel (Winter Solstice) is set. (When I picked the book up to read, I didn't have any intention of adding a book to my Scotland Reads List, but there it is!)
For whatever reason, the Scottish characters and locations become more real to me - not exactly sure why I picked up on that. Possibly because in some way my mind connected the pictures of Glenbogle in Monarch of the Glen TV series with it all....
In any case I was glad to see at the end of the story that Oliver is done away with and the much more acceptable John is brought up to the mark. This story is much more suited to a younger audience..... I'm an older lady and done with the Oliver types (but they never had any appeal to me) so I guess I am more sensible by nature than Victoria. Not my favorite of RP, but I'll forgive her.

I find that even if they are not my favorites, I just about always enjoy her books. She does catch me up and keep my interest, even if some I don't care for as much as others.

At the end of this year, I see from my list here that I have 12 books documented, but I know that I have read more. I am not at home now, so I can't browse through my books and refresh my memory on what I have read. I had originally signed up for the smallest quota of books to read, and surprised myself that I had surpassed that quota by June! I moved myself to the Ben Nevis list, fully intending to read even more than the required 13 Scottish books. I do believe that I have, I just forgot to list them here. Would my annual Holiday read of Winter Solstice count? I have read it many times over, and am actually going through it again now - for at least the third time this year. I need to bump myself out of this groove, however much I love it!

Thank you for suggesting this Scottish READS challenge. I have truly enjoyed it! and it HAS encouraged me to try some new authors - by allowing books by Scottish authors AND/OR books that take place in Scotland, it opened doors but maintained that special link to Scotland.

Suzi wrote: "At the end of this year, I see from my list here that I have 12 books documented, but I know that I have read more. I am not at home now, so I can't browse through my books and refresh my memory o..."

Doesn't matter if it is a re-read. Still counts, Suzi! It has been a fun challenge and I have really stretched my comfort zone with it.

Thanks Peggy!