Like Birds in the Wilderness

By Agnes Owens

A working-class man leaves a slowing west of Scotland building trade for oil north, then wilderness and drink claim him.

The building trade in the west of Scotland has slowed and Mac leaves for the oil-rich north to seek his fortune. But he soon finds himself out in the wilderness, chasing the promise of a job. In the meantime, he's fallen for Nancy, but he can't tear himself away from the other love of his life: the drink.

This darkly comic novel is a tale of addiction, masculinity and the precarious nature of employment for working-class men in 1980s Scotland.

Published to celebrate Agnes Owens' centenary year in 2026.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1846977592
• ISBN13: 9781846977596
• Release Date: July 2026
• Publisher: Polygon
• Length: 172 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 7.7"