{"product_id":"when-i-heard-the-bell","title":"When I Heard the Bell","description":"\u003c!-- Hook --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA spiritual odyssey through Scotland's sacred landscapes and holy sites\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- Tagline --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFaith, pilgrimage, and transformation in Scotland's spiritual traditions\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- Access Your Content --\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border: 2px solid #ddd; padding: 16px; border-radius: 6px; background: #f9f9f9; margin-bottom: 20px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: bold; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAccess Your Content in Seconds\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col style=\"margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComplete your purchase on our store.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDownload \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/pages\/the-grey-hill-app\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Grey Hill App\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (free).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLog in using the same email from checkout.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour ebook will appear instantly in your library.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; color: #555;\"\u003eAll content is securely delivered through our app and not offered as a Shopify download.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- About the Ebook --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Ebook\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 31 December 1918, hours from the first New Year of peace, hundreds of Royal Naval Reservists from the Isle of Lewis poured off successive trains onto the quayside at Kyle of Lochalsh. A chaotic Admiralty had made no adequate arrangements for their safe journey home. Corners were cut, an elderly and recently requisitioned steam-yacht was sent from Stornoway, and that evening HMY Iolaire sailed from Kyle of Lochalsh, grossly overloaded and with life-belts for less than a third of all on board. The Iolaire never made it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt two in the morning, in pitch-black and stormy conditions, she piled onto rocks only yards from the harbour entrance and just half a mile from Stornoway pier, where thronged friends and relatives eagerly awaited the return of their heroes. 205 men drowned, 188 of them natives of Lewis and Harris - men who had come through all the alarms and dangers of the First World War only to die on their own doorstep, at the mouth of a harbour many could themselves have navigated with ease, on a day precious to Highlanders for family, celebration and togetherness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe loss of the Iolaire remains the worst peacetime British disaster at sea since the sinking of the Titanic.Yet, beyond the Western Isles, few have ever heard of what is not only one of the cruellest events in our history but an extraordinary maritime mystery - a tale not only of bureaucrats in a hurry, unfathomable Naval incompetence and abiding, official contempt for the lives of Highlanders, but of individual heroism, astonishing escapes, heart-rending anecdote and the resilience and faith of a remarkable people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the first English account and on the ninetieth anniversary of the 'dark ship', John MacLeod tells the story of the Iolaire, the astonishing commitment of the people of Lewis to the war against the Kaiser, its sickening end, and the way of life the disaster effectively destroyed - a tipping-point, he argues, in the overthrow of an old human economy and which deprived the Isle of Lewis of an entire generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- Why You'll Love This Ebook --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy You'll Love This Ebook\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplore Scotland's most sacred pilgrimage sites and their spiritual significance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiscover the personal transformations that come through spiritual journeys\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLearn how faith has shaped Scottish culture and community across centuries\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRead another celebrated title from Birlinn Ltd - Independent Scottish Publisher\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- Reviews --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Evocative and wholly wonderful'\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe Scotsman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Compelling — fuelled by fury'\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe Herald\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Extremely impressive — holds, grips, moves and sometimes shocks and appalls'\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eShetland Life\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Vividly written'\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePress and Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- About the Author --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJohn MacLeod\u003c\/b\u003e was born in Lochaber in 1966. After his 1988 graduation from Edinburgh University, he began his career at BBC Highland in Inverness and quickly established himself as a freelance writer. He has won several awards, including Scottish Journalist of the Year in 1991, and has contributed to many publications including the \u003cem\u003eScotsman\u003c\/em\u003e and the \u003cem\u003eHerald\u003c\/em\u003e. He currently writes a Thursday column for the \u003cem\u003eScottish Daily Mail\u003c\/em\u003e and is the author of a number of highly acclaimed books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- Publication Details --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePublication Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e Birlinn Ltd\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10 December 2012\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrint Length:\u003c\/strong\u003e 304 pages (Ebook edition)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN (Ebook):\u003c\/strong\u003e 9780857905116\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ebook\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c!-- FAQ --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow do I access my ebook?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDownload \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/pages\/the-grey-hill-app\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Grey Hill App\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e and log in using the same email you used at checkout. Your ebook will appear instantly in your library.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I read it online?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — you can also access your purchases via our online reader at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reader.thegreyhill.com\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ereader.thegreyhill.com\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eI can't see my ebook — what should I do?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTap 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I gift this ebook?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — you can purchase a Grey Hill Gift Card here: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/products\/the-grey-hill-gift-card\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBuy a Gift Card\u003c\/a\u003e. The recipient can redeem it on our store, and the ebook will appear in The Grey Hill App.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Birlinn Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57256025424245,"sku":"9780857905116","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0921\/5662\/5269\/files\/9780857905116.jpg?v=1780831343","url":"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/products\/when-i-heard-the-bell","provider":"The Grey Hill","version":"1.0","type":"link"}