Highlands & Islands of Scotland

Alistair Moffat

The chronicle begins millions of years ago, with the dramatic geological events that formed the awe-inspiring yet beloved landscapes, followed by the arrival of hunter gatherers and the monumental achievements of prehistoric peoples in places like Skara Brae in Orkney. The story continues with the mysterious Picts; the arrival of the Romans as they expanded the boundaries of their huge empire; the coming of Christianity and the Gaelic language from Ireland; the Viking invasion and the establishment of the great Lordship of the Isles that lasted for three hundred years.

The Highlands are perhaps best known as the key battleground in Bonnie Prince Charlie’s doomed attempt to restore the Stuart monarchy and its dreadful aftermath, which saw the suppression of the clans and the whole of Highland culture. This situation was exacerbated by the terrible Clearances of the nineteenth century which saw tens of thousands evicted from their native lands and forced to emigrate. But, after centuries of decline, the Highlands are being renewed, the land is coming alive once more, and the story ends on an upbeat note as the Highlands look forward to a future full of possibilities.

While this is an epic history of a fascinating subject, Moffat also features the stories of individuals, the telling moments and the crucial details which enrich the human story and add context and colour to the saga of Scotland.

Reviews of Highlands & Islands of Scotland

'Moffat brings to vibrant and palpable life the Highlands and Islands from the primeval and prehistoric to the present. Arranged like a mosaic, the glue is the people who populated the region, and its pages peppered with the lines of great poets and songsters from Sorley Maclean and Norman MacCaig to Runrig' – Sunday Post

'one of those rare books that takes a fairly specialised subject and makes it available and accessible to a very wide audience: in Scotland and far beyond' – Ken Lussey, Undiscovered Scotland

'This is a splendid and thoroughly enjoyable book, one from which most of us can surely learn a lot. I would advise reading it straight through, then returning to dip in again and again' – Allan Massie, The Scotsman

'This epic book moves from Orkney as capital of Britain to the Highland Clearances and the romancing of the Highlands, telling us about the coming of the Gaelic language, the art of the Picts, Jacobitism and the heroism of the clans – and all in a new way' – Scotrail Inspiration Hub

'a very personal history, richly informative and sparkling with detail' – Mary Miers, Country Life

'an epic history of a fascinating subject, featuring the stories of individuals, the telling moments and the crucial details which enrich the human story and add context and colour to the saga of Scotland' – New Books Network

'This is not simply a history of kings, queens and nobles… Throw in Moffat's uncanny ability to root out neatly illustrative gems from obscure primary sources, plus his easy and engaging writing style, and the end result is a book which undoubtedly adds to the sum of our knowledge' – Scottish Field