The Illustrated History of Scotland [Hardcover]

Chris Tabraham (Author), Colin Baxter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2004

This colorful book brings Scotland's history vividly to life from its prehistoric past to its innovative present. It reveals key historical events and the characters behind them--From invaders, warriors, rulers, inventors, artists, and politicians to ordinary folk who emerge as heroes in this remarkable story. Beautifully illustrated with contemporary photographs and nearly 100 archival images from museums and other sources across Scotland, the book features subjects as diverse as the warlike Picts, St. Columba, Macbeth, the Battle of Bannockburn, Mary Queen of Scots, the poet Robert Burns, the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Scotland's universities.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The illustrated history is a well-established kind of book, generally a coffee-table tome meant to be desultorily perused rather than read through. No one thinks it should be very good, and it usually isn't. Tabraham and Baxter seem not to know this. The former, principal inspector of ancient Scottish buildings for the agency that maintains them, sketches Scottish history--from being part of Pangaea to resumption of home rule only yesterday (1999)--unstuffily, knowledgeably, and even, toward the end and like a true tour-guide pro, personally ("As for me," he says of Glasgow's trumpeted housing development, Cumbernauld, "I have trouble finding my way out of the place"). Baxter, with dozens of photo books and a booming business in landscape images to his credit, loads the pages with one stunner after another, though he doesn't hog them, allowing several dozen fine old paintings and period photos their share of illustrative acreage. And the book is perfectly edited and gorgeously printed. Get it to gawk at, keep it to read and admire. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Baxter renowned for his sensitive images of the Scottish landscape, is one of Scotland's most celebrated photographers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932573011
• ISBN-13: 978-1932573015
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,930,306 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great photos, great writing, great book, October 14, 2004

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Illustrated History of Scotland (Hardcover)

This is history not only of the Scottish people but also of the land itself. It starts with an examination of the natural forces that shaped Scotland into the land it is today. From ice age carved valleys to the incredible natural stone columns at Fingal's Cave it is a land of contrasts. After examining the land the author turns to the most remote ancestral people of Scotland and the curious stone circles and other artifacts they left behind. Moving forward in time they next examine the arrival of various more modern historical groups including the Celts, the Roman invaders, the Gaels, Picts, Britons, Angles, Vikings, and Normans.

The author also examines the various social, cultural, and political changes Scotland went through and how things like the Industrial age, highland clearances, Scotland's role in WWI, the depression, population expansion and North Sea Oil changed the face of Scotland forever. One of the particularly interesting chapters is one on how the Scottish people transitioned from tribal kingdoms to a more cohesive group and then united with the Picts to form a nation state and then united these kingdoms with England.

Key individuals in the book include Saint Columba, MacBeth, William Wallace, Robert Bruce, and Robert Burns. Throughout the book are beautiful pictures of landscapes, castles, abbeys, historical ruins, and modern structures that provide a visual history of Scotland. Combined with the text it is a thorough and wonderfully written tribute and history to those of us with a Scottish ancestry. The Illustrated History of Scotland is a top quality hardback book that should be on the shelf of everyone interested in Scottish history.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent combination of coffee table book and solid history, May 30, 2004

By 

David Rowell "www.TheTravelInsider.info" (Redmond, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Illustrated History of Scotland (Hardcover)

There's much more to Scotland than whisky, tartan, and kilts. This book looks at Scotland's history - from early pre-history and mysterious stone circles similar to Stonehenge, up to the present day and the new parliament building, still under construction.

Tabraham and Baxter's book does double duty both as a 'coffee table' book and as a useful historical text. If you're interested in Scotland, or considering visiting the country, this will be very helpful and will enable you to make sense of the various phases of Scotland's history and its leading figures.

The Illustrated History of Scotland can be enjoyed on different levels. At the most simplistic level, you can simply flip through it, stopping at interesting pictures, reading the descriptive captions, and perhaps then skimming through a bit of the nearby related text. As a coffee table type book, it meets the high standards of printing and photography you'd hope for.

For a slightly more indepth appreciation, the book has many highlighted one and two page articles that cover interesting elements of Scottish history and culture. These can be read in any order, without needing to be carefully reading through the entire text from page 1 to 224.

The true Scottish enthusiast will, however, choose to do exactly this - read the complete text from start to finish.

The writing style is clean and crisp, rather than dry and scholarly. It does a lot more than just recite historical facts. It adds some interesting personal observation and commentary, and puts the historical facts into context, commenting on their implications to ordinary Scottish people, and making the historical events seem much more meaningful and relevant.

The book could certainly contain more content, but its objective is to provide you with a fair and interesting overview of Scottish history rather than a complete recitation of every fact, no matter how minor. The book gives an excellent, readable, and comprehensive introduction to Scotland and its history. And doubtless some of the omissions from this book (which are generally more social than historical) will be included in a companion book 'Illustrated Encyclopedia of Scotland', due in October 04.

If you're wanting to better understand the country before visiting, or want a memento of a visit previously enjoyed, this would be an excellent choice.

The Illustrated History of Scotland is an interesting, appealing, and enjoyable book. Whether you're seriously interested in Scotland or just a casual reader, you'll find plenty to enjoy in this beautifully presented book.

Recommended.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Of special interest and value for the novice student, May 18, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Illustrated History of Scotland (Hardcover)

For the non-specialist general reader, the history of the land of Robert Burns, Scotch whisky, and Queen Mary has never been so well done as with the Oyster Press edition of The Illustrated History Of Scotland by Chris Tabraham (Principal Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Historic Scotland). The informed and informative text is superbly illustrated throughout with the professional photography of Colin Baxter. Of special interest and value for the novice student of Scottish history is extensive "Chronology" appendix that begins in 2,800,000,000 BC with the stones of Scotland's original formation near the South Pole, and then proceeds upward to the Second Elections to the Scottish Parliament of 2003 AD. No personal, professional, academic, or community library World History collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of Chris Tabraham's The Illustrated History Of Scotland!