Customer Reviews

Scottish Clans and Tartans: A Fully Illustrated Guide to Over 140 Clans - Their History,Tartans , and Much More

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This book was a bit of a disappointment because it does not include a lot of standard information I have seen in earlier books on clans and tartans. For instance, there is no listing of septs and other family names that are associated with some of the Highland clans. Furthermore, most people of Scottish heritage are what is referred to as "clanless Scots". But, ALL the clans at least come from a District and it would be nice to have information on the District tartans (and photos). That is also lacking. Yes, there are some nice photos of surrounding landmarks and a color swatch of each of the main highland tartans. Plus a bit of history for each of the 140 clans, but it is basic information available from several other sources.

There have been other Scottish tartan books over the years, but this represents a weighty and involving coverage, providing an illustrated guide to over 140 clans, their histories, and their tartans. The history of the highlanders and their struggles receives full coverage and embellishment in Scottish Clans and Tartans, an excellent, illustrated guide to much more than tartans.

This really is a wonderful book. I've been reading through it in the bookstore and need to pick up my own copy now. It goes into tons of clans' tartans, with a photo swatch of each one. It also has a small history for each clan and it's tartan. It also connects famous people to the clans, such as General Douglas MacArthur. It's not a very in depth book about the clans, but gives a wonderful into to each of them.

The above I wrote before I purchased the book. Now that I own it, it's even better. Even the very beginning of the book with its snippet of Scottish history is wonderful and whets the reader's appetite to learn more about Scotland.

Surprised to find a swatch of Barclay hunting tartan used on the back cover, I quickly flipped to the Barclay section. I was pleased to again find Barclay hunting used, rather than the normal yellow Barclay tartan. The write up of the historical information was accurate UNTIL I got to the end which stated that the current chief lives in Essex. Sure enough, when I checked the address listing, our current secretary in Richmond Virginia's address is correct, BUT, the other address is Colchester in Essex. This has not been our chief's address for over 10 years. I wonder how the author picked one current address and not the other. In addition neither address identifies to whom you would be sending information at the address given. In the midst of a visually appealing and otherwise nice book, this error and lack of detail was most disappointing. Carolyn L. Barkley, FSA Scot, Genealogist, Clan Barclay International, Ltd.

Surprised to find a swatch of Barclay hunting tartan used on the back cover, I quickly flipped to the Barclay section. I was pleased to again find Barclay hunting used, rather than the normal yellow Barclay tartan. The write up of the historical information was accurate UNTIL I got to the end which stated that the current chief lives in Essex. Sure enough, when I checked the address listing, our current secretary in Richmond Virginia's address is correct, BUT, the other address is Colchester in Essex. This has not been our chief's address for over 10 years. I wonder how the author picked one current address and not the other. In addition neither address identifies to whom you would be sending information at the address given. In the midst of a visually appealing and otherwise nice book, this error and lack of detail was most disappointing.