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Consider The Lilies
£3.99
Consider the Lilies
An old woman faces eviction in the Highland Clearances — and finds strength in the most unexpected of companions.
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About the Ebook
The eviction of the crofters from their homes between 1792 and the 1850s was one of the cruellest episodes in Scotland's history. In this novel Iain Crichton Smith captures the impact of the Highland Clearances through the thoughts and memories of an old woman who has lived all her life within the narrow confines of her community. Alone and bewildered by the demands of the factor, Mrs Scott approaches the minister for help, only to have her faith shattered by his hypocrisy. She finds comfort, however, from a surprising source: Donald Macleod, an imaginative and self-educated man who has been ostracised by his neighbours, not least by Mrs Scott herself, on account of his atheism. Through him and through the circumstances forced upon her, the old woman achieves new strength.Why You'll Love This Ebook
- One of the most powerful evocations of the Highland Clearances in Scottish literature
- An old woman's faith is shattered and rebuilt through the cruelest of circumstances
- Spare, humane and beautifully written by a poet turned novelist
- Read another celebrated title from Polygon - an imprint of Birlinn Ltd
Reviews
'Restrained, finely wrought... Mr Crichton Smith shows us isolation, perplexity, loneliness.' New Statesman
'One can linger over the sheer beauty of his phrases.' Observer
'A simple but noble book... this deserves to be read.' The Scotsman
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: 144 pages (Ebook edition)
ISBN (Ebook): 9780857907370
Format: Ebook
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