Island on the Edge of the World: The Story of St Kilda

For more than 2000 years the people of St Kilda remained remote from the world. Its society was viable, even Utopian; but in the nineteenth century the island was discovered by missionaries, do-gooders and tourists, who brought money, disease and despotism. St Kildan culture gradually disintegrated and in 1930 the few remaining islanders asked to be evacuated.

Reviews of Island on the Edge of the World: The Story of St Kilda

"'A story like a marvellous pebble, wet from the sea, strange and comic like all things out of step with time, sad as the old songs the women sang, splendidly told…' Sunday Times 'A fascinating book…Charles Maclean is an excellent writer…he describes the story of St Kilda with powerful compassion.' Magnus Magnusson 'What the St Kildan story, as told by Maclean, did for me was to reawaken my awe at the strangeness of our world.' Will Self"