Scotland: The Story of a Nation

I purchased this book after I was fortunate enough to visit Edinburgh, Scotland. As I walked the streets of Edinburgh my eyes laid upon one Scottish flag after another and graffiti calling for freedom from England covered buildings. I became fascinated by the country's culture and yearned to learn more about its history. I came back to the States needing to know more about the Nation of Scotland. This book does a marvelous job at giving an objective view of Scotland's history. Going through its monarchs and constant fighting with England. You come to understand this country has fought for century's to rid itself of British rule. A fight that is still not done. If you love history, this book is for you!!

The book is wonderful. I would recommend two items to help clarify locations and relationships for the reader - a GOOD foldout map of Scotland so the locations of the actions, castles, cathedrals, and routes decsribed in the book can be better understood (I ended up gluing one inside the back cover myself), and a genealogical tree(s) showing how individuals are related to each other, including the major characters.

If you want to read the History of Scotland, WITHOUT overloading your brain with mundane facts and figures, which inevitably lull you into a slightly slumberous state making you 'look' at the words instead of actually 'reading' the words .... therefore requiring you to read them again Get your mits on Mangus Magnusson's SCOTLAND. As another reviewer mentioned earlier, he writes in a very conversational tone, which is simply fantastic when it comes to some of the (few) rather dry facets of human history which cannot go un-mentioned. In closing: GREAT BOOK - MONEY WELL SPENT - BUY IT.

Magnus did an excellent job of documenting Scotland's long, rich history. His book is one of the very few to actually make mention of and discuss the "Killing Time," when Charles II died and James VII/II became king (if only briefly). It was the height of the Catholic-Protestant feud that created much tension in Scotland.Very interesting read and a must have reference book on Scotland.

"History on the hoof" is how Magnus Magnusson describes his approach to the massive subject of the history of Scotland. This dynamic work encompasses the geology, prehistory, ethnicities, politics and cultural events that are all elements in the answer to the question, "What does it mean to be Scots?"The story begins with a description of how the distinctive terrain of the land evolved. The craggy shoreline, outlying islands and Highland hills were key factors in who came to live in Scotland and what they had to do to defend it, starting with Scotland's first tribes. Mr. Magnusson gives a lively account of the Picts, Scots, Gaels and Britons who skirmished among themselves until they banded together to fight Viking invaders from the north and, later, Roman invaders from the south. Scotland has always seen its share of warfare, largely from England. Independence from England has been a constant struggle for Scotland and recounting its battles introduces a wealth of fascinating characters from William Wallace (whose adventures and sorry ending readers may remember from the film Braveheart) through the unlucky Stewarts. We also meet the real-life MacBeth; his chapter details his ill-starred rise to power and notes the differences between the actual history and the story we all know from Shakespeare's play.However, if there is a literary figure that serves as an illuminating spirit for SCOTLAND: The Story of a Nation, that person must be Sir Walter Scott. One of Scotland's most successful novelists, with twenty-seven historical romances concerning Scotland to his credit, he wrote a history of Scotland and dedicated it to his grandson. Excerpts from TALES OF A GRANDFATHER begin every chapter of SCOTLAND and Mr. Magnusson takes careful note of the events that inspired Sir Walter Scott and how his firm pro-English philosophy colored his works.What Magnus Magnusson and Sir Walter Scott have in common is a sense that storytelling informs history. There are so many vivid legends and people in Scottish history that writing a compendium organizing them all into a swift and logical narrative is no small accomplishment. Also, while the book does not pretend to be a travel guide, it offers useful tips for finding the monuments and landmarks that represent the nation's history. Bring it with you when you travel. SCOTLAND: The Story of a Nation is indispensable for those who simply wish to know more --- and for those who wish to know everything --- about Scotland, its past and present. --- Reviewed by Colleen Quinn