So Foul and Fair a Day: A History of Scotland’s Weather and Climate

In “So Foul and Fair a Day”, Professor Alastair Dawson provides for the first time a detailed account of Scotland’s past weather and climate conditions and the effects that they have had on determining the physical and social face of the country. From the middle of the last Ice Age and the arrival of Scotland’s first settlers around 9,000 years ago, Dawson traces the fascinating story of the often dramatic changes in weather and climate that have played an important role in shaping Scotland’s history to the present day. Examining the ways in which inhabitants of Scotland adapted to changes in climate and weather through the ages, Dawson charts a previously unrecorded history of how floods, storms, blizzards, droughts and volcanic eruptions have influenced the Scottish nation. Concluding with changes that are occurring in the present day, Dawson discusses the key lessons to be learned from the past, providing pointers to the future and new meanings to the terms ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’ – this is a fascinating account of the history of Scotland’s weather and climate and an invaluable reference for all those interested in climate change.