Walking with James Hogg - by Bruce Gilkison (Paperback)

About the Book

Celebrates the extraordinary life of a flawed and lovable character, and provides a brief and accessible study of Hogg's works.

Book Synopsis

Retracing Hogg's remarkable journeys in the 21st century
James Hogg, also known as the Ettrick Shepherd, was a writer, poet, sportsman, musician and larger-than-life personality. In 1802, uneducated and still unknown, he set out on the first of a series of journeys through Scotland, from the Borders to the Highlands and Hebrides. The journeys were inspiring, life-changing and often frightening. They led him to a life of chaos, failures, fame, fun and literary masterpieces.
Now, a descendant follows his footsteps and reflects on his experiences, and on the remarkable rediscovery of Hogg's works a century after his death. It is a story of tenacity, of daring to be different and, against all odds, success and a flourishing legacy. It is a lively look at an extraordinary life and some of his works, including Confessions of a Justified Sinner, considered by many to be one of the greatest novels ever written.
Bruce Gilkison, a New Zealander and a great-great-grandson of Hogg's, walked through Scotland to discover what was special about him and his journeys. Like Hogg, he had no idea where these travels might lead. He found a world of stunning landscapes, fairies and mystery, genius and ambiguity, friendships and back-stabbings, and learnt about his flawed, lovable and eccentric ancestor.
Key Features:
Celebrates the extraordinary life of a flawed and lovable character, and provides a brief and accessible study of Hogg's worksExamines three Scottish journeys and provides an account of the same trips recreated by one of his great-great-grandsonsProvides a guide to parts of Hogg's travels in the Highlands, Western Isles and some other locations, showing how these influenced his career and his writingDemonstrates Hogg's ongoing relevance in the 21st century

From the Back Cover

*APPROVED* Discovering James Hogg's remarkable journeys in the 21st century James Hogg (the 'Ettrick Shepherd') was a writer, sportsman, shepherd, musician and larger-than-life personality. In 1802, in his early thirties, uneducated and still unknown, he set out on a series of travels through Scotland. These journeys, from the Borders to the Highlands and Hebrides, were inspiring, life-changing and often frightening. They led him to a life of chaos, fame, failures, fun and literary masterpieces. Now, a descendant follows his footsteps and reflects on his experiences, and on the remarkable rediscovery of Hogg's works a century after his death - the start of a whole new journey. It is a story of tenacity, of daring to be different and, against all odds, success and a thriving legacy. It is a lively look at his extraordinary life and works, including Confessions of a Justified Sinner, thought by many to be one of the greatest novels ever written. Bruce Gilkison, a New Zealander and great-great-grandson of Hogg's, walked through Scotland to discover what was special about him and these journeys. Like Hogg, he had no idea where these might lead. He found a world of stunning landscapes, magic and mystery, genius and ambiguity, friendships and back-stabbings, and learnt about his flawed, lovable and quirky ancestor. Front cover image: Loch A'an (c) Bruce Gilkison. Back cover image: the author competing in the St Ronan's Border Games. Cover design: www.paulsmithdesign.com [EUP logo] edinburghuniversitypress.com ISBN 978-1-4744-1538-5 Barcode

Review Quotes

Walking with James Hogg is a joy... a fascinating look at an extraordinary life... well indexed with a glossary for the understanding of baffling Scottish words, a list of walks 'with James Hogg' and an extensive bibliography... a most worthwhile read and one that may have you too longing to wander the glaciated, wild landscapes of the Scottish Highlands and beyond.-- "The Guardian (New Zealand)"

Bruce Gilkison has pulled off something quite unusual. It is a charming mix of biography, travelogue and memoir, and a fine meditation on ancestry, time and the vicissitudes of literary fame and misfortune... thoroughly engaging, instructive, funny... one senses that Hogg and Gilkison would have made excellent walking companions, although probably not without a falling-out or two... --James Robertson, author of 'Joseph Knight', ' The Testament of Gideon Mack', 'And the Land Lay Still'

It is all written in a pleasantly relaxed style, which suggests that Hogg's gift of involving the reader in his narratives has continued to be transferred down the succeeding generations of the family.[...] All in all, Walking with James Hogg is strongly recommended to anyone who, whether virtually or in reality, fancies following James Hogg's footsteps on a walk in the Highlands, in the company of a charming and knowledgeable guide.--Robin MacLachlan "Studies in Hogg and his World (No. 27-28, 2018-19)"

It would be impossible to find a writer more suited to this project. He combines a unique ancestral connection, impeccable credentials as an adventurer and explorer, and shares Hogg's gift for a good story.--Suzanne Gilbert, lecturer, editor

This highly-original short book combines aspects of guidebook, scholarship, and hiking-journal... helpful short essays on such topics as the Statistical Account of Etterick Forest or kelpies (and the taniwha of New Zealand) or class or sublimity and biodiversity or the Clearances... Gilkison's self-deprecating curiosity succeeds remarkably well in channelling the well-attested charm of his great-great-grandfather, and in linking this benign 'ancestor-worship' to his own twenty-first century appreciation for landscape and concern with ecology.-- "Studies in Scottish Literature, 42:1"

About the Author

Bruce Gilkison is a writer and a consultant in sustainable business issues. He is a New Zealander with a recent and growing love for Scotland. He has lived and worked in the Pacific, East Africa, North America and Europe, and is a keen traveller, hiker and climber. He has a passion for social and environmental issues and has been published frequently on these topics, with two articles short-listed for British Commonwealth Media Awards for Journalism. He has a strong empathy with other cultures and a fascination for the wild and wonderful.