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An Honourable Death
£4.99
An Honourable Death
From crofter's son to decorated Major-General: the true story of 'Fighting Mac' and the disgrace that destroyed him.
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About the Ebook
In the summer of 1870, a seventeen-year-old crofter's son turned his back on his apprenticeship with the Royal Clan and Tartan Warehouse in Inverness and signed up as a private in Queen Victoria's army. He joined the Gordons - the 92nd Highlanders - whose reputation was second to none as the fearsome cutting-edge of the British Army. Posted to India, Afghanistan, South Africa and the Sudan, he became a formidable soldier, rising up through the ranks to become the glorified and much-decorated Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald or, more commonly, 'Fighting Mac', the true hero of Omdurman. Then, in 1903, at the peak of his remarkable career, he was accused of homosexuality. Ordered to face court martial and unable to bear the disgrace, he ended his life. From this true story, with a poet's insight and precision, Iain Crichton Smith has crafted an exquisite novel: a tale of honour and elitism, equivocation and hierocracy, victory and despair.Why You'll Love This Ebook
- Based on the true story of Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald, hero of Omdurman
- A tale of honour, elitism and the cruelty of institutional hypocrisy
- Written with a poet's insight and precision from one of Scotland's finest literary voices
- Read another celebrated title from Polygon - an imprint of Birlinn Ltd
About the Author
Iain Crichton Smith (1928 – 1998) was born in Glasgow, brought up on Lewis, and attended university in Aberdeen. After working as a teacher in Clydebank and Dumbarton, he taught at the High School in Oban until he took early retirement in 1977. He was the recipient of many literary awards and received an OBE in 1980. His widow, Donalda, still lives in Taynuilt, where the couple moved after their marriage in 1977.Publication Details
Publisher: Polygon (an imprint of Birlinn Ltd)
Publication Date: 15 April 2015
Print Length: 165 pages (Ebook edition)
ISBN (Ebook): 9780857907264
Format: Ebook
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