Skip to product information
The Gravity of Feathers
£16.99
The Gravity of Feathers
Fame, Fortune and the Story of St Kilda
Access Your Content in Seconds
- Complete your purchase on our store.
- Download The Grey Hill App (free).
- Log in using the same email from checkout.
- Your ebook will appear instantly in your library.
All content is securely delivered through our app and not offered as a Shopify download.
About the Ebook
Discover the true story of St Kilda.
When the last 36 inhabitants of St Kilda, 40 miles west of the Scottish Hebrides, were evacuated in 1930, the archipelago at 'the edge of the world' lost its permanent population after five millennia.
It has long been accepted that the islanders' failure to adapt to the modern world was its demise. Andrew Fleming overturns the traditional view. Unafraid of highlighting dark times, he shows how they sacrificed their reputation as an uncorrupted, ideal society to embrace and exploit the tourist trade. Creating a prestigious tweed, exporting the ancestors of today's Hebridean sheep, the islanders gained access to consumer goods and learned how to play politics to their advantage.
This book tells the absorbing and eventful story of St Kilda from earliest times, up to the evacuation and its aftermath. Previously untapped sources and fresh insights bring to life the personalities, feelings, attitudes and rich culture of the islanders themselves, as well as the numerous outsiders who engaged with the remote island community.
Why You'll Love This Ebook
- Discover discover the true story of St Kilda
- Explore when the last 36 inhabitants of St Kilda, 40 miles west of the Scottish Hebrides, were evacuated in 1930, the archipelago at 'the edge of the world' lost its permanent population after five millennia
- Gain expertise in Western Isles and St Kilda
- Learn from proven expertise and experience
Reviews
'Fleming has written a magnificent and completely engaging book — full of fine stories, acute character sketches, and information about how the islanders lived, what they did, even what they thought' - The Scotsman
'A sense of things as they actually were comes bounding out of its pages — sobering, moving and revelatory' - Adam Nicolson, author of The Sea Room and Life Between the Tides
'This is a book that tells the definitive story of St Kilda that will be of lasting value, having quite literally rewritten the history of the archipelago' - Undiscovered Scotland
'A comprehensive and thought-provoking history of a vanished community that is full of intriguing facts and stories' - The Herald
'Thorough, consistently readable and thought-provoking — he treats the islanders as fellow humans, lodged in their own place and time' - Scottish Local History
Shortlisted for The Wolfson History Prize
About the Author
Andrew Fleming specialises in prehistory and landscape archaeology. He taught at Sheffield University for 27 years and then at the University of Wales Trinity St David. His previous books include The Dartmoor Reaves (Batsford, 1988), Swaledale: Valley of the Wild River (EUP, 1998) and St Kilda and the Wider World: Tales of an Iconic Island (Windgather Press, 2007).
Publication Details
ISBN (EPUB): 9781788856683
Publication Date: 03 October 2024
Pages: 368
Format: Ebook (EPUB)
Publisher: Birlinn
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access my ebook?
Download The Grey Hill App and log in using the same email you used at checkout. Your ebook will appear instantly in your library.
Can I read it online?
Yes — you can also access your purchases via our online reader at reader.thegreyhill.com.
I can't see my ebook — what should I do?
Tap the refresh button in the app or online reader. If it still doesn't appear, ensure you're logged in with the same email used at checkout. If issues continue, contact us and we'll help right away.
Can I gift this ebook?
Yes — you can purchase a Grey Hill Gift Card here: Buy a Gift Card. The recipient can redeem it on our store, and the ebook will appear in The Grey Hill App.