It is the story of the big, poor-but-proud Highlander who marries her, gives her seven children, and challenges her with an unyielding spirit of his own.

    Starting with an account of his childhood in Ireland at the end of the 19th century, the story moves to Scotland where, tramp then gang-labourer then navvy, Dermond Flynn (as he sometimes calls himself) discovers himself as a writer.

    Increased contact with the mainland during the 19th century brought about the downfall of what many once regarded as an ideal society. Missionaries and tourists brought money, disease and despotism. In 1930 the islanders, who could no longer support themselves, were finally evacuated at their own request. The island, which is difficult to access, is now a nature reserve.

    The first novel in the Montrose saga begins the story of James Graham, Marquis of Montrose, one of the noblest figures in Scottish history, who risked everything during the darkest days of the Civil War to save King Charles I.

    Theirs is an almost forgotten chapter of British history, preserved largely in folktales and ballads. It is the story of the notorious raiding families - Armstrongs, Elliots, Grahams, Johnstones, Maxwells, Scotts, Kerrs, Nixons, and others--of the outlaw bands and broken men, and the fierce battles of English and Scottish armies across the Marches. The Steel Bonnets tells their true story in its historical context - how the reivers ran their raids and operated their system of blackmail and terrorism, and how the March Wardens, enforcing the unique Border law, fought the great lawless community. A superb work of scholarship and a spellbinding narrative. George MacDonald Fraser is the celebrated author of the Flashman novels, The Candlemass Road, The Pyrates, and the Private McAuslan stories.

    

    Happy on the Outer Hebrides, eleven-year-old Mairi has no desire to leave when her family situation changes and takes her to new places.

    this splendid work carries us from Knox to Neilson, from the hot gospel of Calvin to the hot-blast of the smelting process - and incidentally seeks to explain the change. For always, in following this lucid narrative, we see an original mind at work, questioning and explaining, as well as illustrating. Hugh Trevor-Roper, Sunday Times

    Division into the three Scottish and the three English Marches was undertaken in an attempt to provide some form of stability and organisation. Nigel boldly states that this is not an unbiased account of the area and its history. As he says in the preamble to the book "The Borderers have always taken sides, vehmently, gloriously—and I do the same."