Stone Voices: The Search for Scotland

I thought this book had it all. A wonderful introduction to contemporary Scotland (as of 2002) that also has fascinating looks at nearly all the significant (and some forgotten) bits of Scottish history. The author is very erudite, it's true, for instance drawing interesting parallels with other parts of Europe. (He compares the bus tour he was on for the Yes campaign for a Scottish Parliament with the bus tour Gunter Grass organized for the SPD/Willy Brandt's 1965 election campaign, thereby giving the reader a bonus glimpse into German history.) I didn't find this book dry at all, I thought it was hugely entertaining. I don't think you need be all that knowledgeable about British politics to understand the points he is making. The author gives adequate background about everything and is not making assumptions about the readers' prior knowledge. (On the other hand, I remember a book by Ascherson about Eastern European politics that really was too dry for me to get through. Stone Voices isn't like that.) Very informative, thought provoking and nuanced look at a country that remains elusive, maybe even to its own inhabitants.

Neal Ascherson covers some of the same ground Edwin Muir did in Scottish Journeys, but brings these rambles up to date as he deals with the theme of devolution and the re-emergence of the Scottish nation. The chapters are more a series of reflections than a discourse on Scottish history. Ascherson moves back and forth in time, dealing with such subjects as the Stone of Destiny, which was finally returned to its ancestral home after many years in the Royal Palace, ostensibly to deny Scotland any right to royal ascension. But, its course proves to be a very interesting one. Ascherson also looks at what Scotland's re-established nationhood means to Americans, including those with rather shaky connections, such as Trent Lott, who pushed through a resolution calling for Tartan Day in the United States in recognition of the 1320 Declaratin of Arbroath. Ascherson seems a bit puzzled why Americans would still so strongly identify themselves with Scotland, being so many generations removed.He also criticized the overt Scottish nationalism which has grown in recent years, at times reaching the point of shear madness. But, for the most part Ascherson looks at the more subtle aspects of Scottish independence, rooting them in history and mythology. It is a very engaging book and should rekindle your interest in Scotland's storied past.

I picked up "Stone Voices" to learn a little about what it is to "be Scottish" in modern times from Ascherson, a long-time political journalist who focuses on Scottish issues.Ascherson has some wonderful insights and deep understanding of his topic. For example, I really enjoyed his essay on "when was Scotland"--i.e., what period in history are people thinking of when they think of when Scotland was most itself, and how the answer to that question has changed over time. The "highlandization" of Scotland (the sense that it is all ruddy guys in kilts) is a related theme. A large percent of the volume is given over to a discussion of 'devolution' - the gradual decoupling of Scotland from Great Britain as a whole - including the recent establishment of a separate Scottish Parliament. This bit will be quite dry for most readers, and pretty difficult to understand if you don't already know a bit about British politics. Also, the essays as a whole meander a bit and don't have a real sense of direction. However, I got what I came for - an appreciation of what Scotland is really like "now" - from someone who knows.