Scotland: The Story of a Nation [Paperback]

Magnus Magnusson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 17, 2003

Hailed as a “vast, superb history [that] relates Scotland’s past over a dozen millennia” (Kirkus Reviews), Magnusson draws on a great deal of modern scholarship to redefine a nation’s history. He charts the long struggle toward nationhood, explores the roots of the original Scots, and examines the extent to which Scotland was shaped by the Romans, the Picts, the Vikings, and the English. Encompassing everything from the first Mesolithic settlers in 7000 B.C. to the present movements for independence, Scotland: The Story of a Nation is history on an epic level, essential reading for anyone interested in the rich past of this captivating land.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Near Stirling, Scotland, stands a memorial to the warrior William Wallace, put to death at the orders of the English king Edward I in 1305. Within that memorial stands a glass case, and inside of it stands a broadsword 1.7 meters long. Legend has it that the hero himself wielded the weapon, and so "Wallace's Sword" it is.

Magnus Magnusson, a native of Iceland who has long lived in and written about Scotland, may spoil it for some readers when he writes that Wallace's Sword probably wasn't Wallace's. To use it, Wallace would have had to have stood at least 6-foot-6 in height and to have lived two centuries later. The business of the sword is just one of the "cherished conceptions" about Scottish history that Magnusson picks apart and then, corrected and improved, restores. At other turns he considers the true identity of the legendary king Macbeth (and entertains some surprising but plausible theories about the king's alter ego); reconstructs decisive battles such as Otterburn, Flodden, and Glencoe; and looks closely at the complicated negotiations (and, many would say, treacheries) that led to the union with England of 1707. Magnusson closes with an account of modern independence movements and the recent return of some measure of national autonomy, opening a "new chapter in a nation's story, which the people of Scotland are now beginning to write."

Lucid, witty, and unafraid of controversy, Magnusson's book does a fine job of condensing a complex history, stretching out for 10 millennia, into a single volume. --Gregory McNamee --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

This overly heroic history of Scotland focuses almost exclusively on royalty and warfare. Loosely patterned after Sir Walter Scott's Tales of a Grandfather (1827-1829), Magnusson's (The Vikings) narrative purports to describe Scotland from the Stone Age to the present. Yet his omissions are breathtaking. What of Scotland's amazing (for its size) achievements during the European Enlightenment? Adam Smith is mentioned once, the seminal philosopher David Hume twice in passing. We're treated to a dozen pages about the Battle of Falkirk (wherein England's implacable King Edward I defeated William Wallace in 1298) and its aftermath. But Magnusson never mentions Scotland's central role in the Industrial Revolution, when Glasgow emerged as a global industrial center ("industry" isn't even listed in the index). Magnusson's narrative reads like a medieval saga, filled with swashbuckling tales of kings and battlefield heroics, leaving the reader to wonder how the average person lived. That said, he does emphasize some crucial themes in Scottish history: its constant struggle with hegemonic England, the problems of royal succession and how they led to national instability, and the bloody conflict between Church and State, especially during the reign of the Stuarts. Former chairman of the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland, Magnusson deftly describes Scotland's geopolitical heritage. He also works hard to dispel some myths, taking particular aim at the film Braveheart and Shakespeare's Macbeth. Magnusson's critical problem, however, is that once he runs out of Scottish kings (circa 1745), he runs out of steam. Still, while hardly definitive, this is worthwhile for those with an interest in early Scottish history. Color & b&w illus. not seen by PW.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 752 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (January 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802139329
• ISBN-13: 978-0802139320
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #39 in Books > History > Europe > Scotland
  • #97 in Books > History > Europe > Western

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Up-To-Date and Comprehensive History of Scotland, March 29, 2003

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scotland: The Story of a Nation (Paperback)

"History on the hoof" is how Magnus Magnusson describes his approach to the massive subject of the history of Scotland. This dynamic work encompasses the geology, prehistory, ethnicities, politics and cultural events that are all elements in the answer to the question, "What does it mean to be Scots?"

The story begins with a description of how the distinctive terrain of the land evolved. The craggy shoreline, outlying islands and Highland hills were key factors in who came to live in Scotland and what they had to do to defend it, starting with Scotland's first tribes. Mr. Magnusson gives a lively account of the Picts, Scots, Gaels and Britons who skirmished among themselves until they banded together to fight Viking invaders from the north and, later, Roman invaders from the south. Scotland has always seen its share of warfare, largely from England. Independence from England has been a constant struggle for Scotland and recounting its battles introduces a wealth of fascinating characters from William Wallace (whose adventures and sorry ending readers may remember from the film Braveheart) through the unlucky Stewarts. We also meet the real-life MacBeth; his chapter details his ill-starred rise to power and notes the differences between the actual history and the story we all know from Shakespeare's play.

However, if there is a literary figure that serves as an illuminating spirit for SCOTLAND: The Story of a Nation, that person must be Sir Walter Scott. One of Scotland's most successful novelists, with twenty-seven historical romances concerning Scotland to his credit, he wrote a history of Scotland and dedicated it to his grandson. Excerpts from TALES OF A GRANDFATHER begin every chapter of SCOTLAND and Mr. Magnusson takes careful note of the events that inspired Sir Walter Scott and how his firm pro-English philosophy colored his works.

What Magnus Magnusson and Sir Walter Scott have in common is a sense that storytelling informs history. There are so many vivid legends and people in Scottish history that writing a compendium organizing them all into a swift and logical narrative is no small accomplishment. Also, while the book does not pretend to be a travel guide, it offers useful tips for finding the monuments and landmarks that represent the nation's history. Bring it with you when you travel.

SCOTLAND: The Story of a Nation is indispensable for those who simply wish to know more --- and for those who wish to know everything --- about Scotland, its past and present.

--- Reviewed by Colleen Quinn

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great History of Scotland minus a few people and events, November 4, 2001

By 

Shogun Len "tokieyasu" (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scotland: The Story of a Nation (Hardcover)

I am very glad I read this book. It was a very readable and enjoyable history of Scotland. The book was so good, I am tempted to make a return trip to Scotland. This book was that inspiring.

I especially enjoyed the chapters on the Romans in Scotland, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and Bonnie Prince Charlie.

I was a little upset as to the lack of information about the enlightenment in Scotland. But other than that, this was a great book.

It was very readable, with new information, and some great quotes.

This was a great book, I wished it had more, but none the less, it was a great purchase and time well spent.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but missing the more recent history, June 20, 2004

By 

Scott A. Gold "scottagold" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Scotland: The Story of a Nation (Hardcover)

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. It was well written very interesting. My only major criticism of this book is in what it left out. The book does a wonderful job relating the history of Scotland up to and including the Jacobite rebellion of 1745-46. Anything since that point is largely ignored. The author was loosely following Sir Walter Scott's example in Tales from a Grandfather which ends at that point in Scottish history. A couple more chapters discussing the Scottish enlightenment and modern Scottish history would have made this book perfect. Nonetheless, I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in an introduction to Scottish history.