Seasons on Harris: A Year in Scotland's Outer Hebrides

by David Yeadon

Book Overview

The Outer Hebrides of Scotland epitomize the evocative beauty and remoteness of island life. The most dramatic of all the Hebrides is Harris, a tiny island formed from the oldest rocks on earth, a breathtaking landscape of soaring mountains, wild lunarlike moors, and vast Caribbean-hued beaches. This is where local crofters weave the legendary Harris Tweed -- reflecting the strength, durability, and integrity of life there.

In Seasons on...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060741813
• ISBN13: 9780060741815
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An informative and enjoyable read

If the pace of David Yeadon's SEASONS ON HARRIS seems a bit measured to some reviewers here, it may only be because the book accurately reflects the pace of West Highland life. If a reader craves something faster, well, perhaps he should be reading about a different place. For three years in the 1980s, I could see distant Harris, Lewis and the Shiants from my cottage doorstep on the Coigach peninsula (on rare days when the rainclouds parted). It is a spectacular part of the world, and Yeadon's book does justice to the islands and the strong characters who inhabit them. The author's honest and extensive exploration of the island and its people will be useful to brave souls who venture beyond the boundaries of tartan kitsch to discover the real mystery and magic of the Outer Hebrides. I had only two small quibbles with this otherwise delightful book. First, Yeadon's writing burdens the locals with quaint accents, while he records himself speaking flawless English. The Harris folk might have found his Yorkshire speech equally quaint, but would be too polite to caricature it. In the three years I lived in Scotland's gaeltacht, I became very much aware that I was living amongst a remarkably articulate race, and that I was the one who spoke with a quaint (American) dialect. So I would have preferred to read interviews less peppered with "ach weels" and "d'ye kens". Second, the author's gourmet tastes led him to dwell overlong on Frenchified versions of Hebridean cuisine ("haggis flamed in whisky", "sea scallops seared in celle sur belle butter") more typical of tourist meals than honest islander fare. And somewhere he voices the peculiar notion that haggis is "prepared in a pig's bladder." Highland fare is quite delicious on its own, and really doesn't need such elaborations. Mind you, I wouldn't turn down an invitation to the author's own table, as he clearly knows his way around a gourmet kitchen. But beyond these petty quibbles, SEASONS ON HARRIS is an informative and enjoyable read, and Yeadon's own illustrations capture the look and flavor of the place as beautifully as his words. For anyone thinking of visiting - or dreaming about - the magical Outer Hebrides, I highly recommend this book. Jack Maloney, author, THE WEE MAD ROAD

Interesting place

I'm a fan of all things Scottish, so I enjoyed this book. I love his descriptions of the simple pace of life and the beauty of the area. It could have been a bit less intrusive. So much recent writing is focused on the author's reactions to events and places. I would rather see the author just describe the events and places, and let the reader react for herself.

Patience pays off with fine sense of the Hebrides

By the end I loved this book, but it is slow going in the beginning, and keeps to a very leisurely pace clear through. Mr. Yeadon does a fine job of describing many of the more notable characters in the area, and a superb job of describing this most beautiful of locations. I had just returned from Scotland when I read this book, and it made me want to hop right back on the plane, regardless of airport hassles, and return. However this is not a book for people looking for a tourist guide. More a meditation on the slow but rich life in the Outer Hebrides. Hence the pace of the book matches the pace of living described within.

Not Just for Scotland Lovers

David Yeadon has been composing beautiful hymns to remote places for many years, and here is another in a distinguished list of books he has written. If Seasons on Harris doesn't impel you to plan a trip to Scotland and more specifically the Outer Hebrides, well then, you should consider shopping for a tombstone. I understand the next in his "seasons" series will be on the Beara Peninsula in southern Ireland, and with a name like O'Reilly, I can't wait for that one.