Where
to Find the Sites
David
McCordick, editor
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The
student enrolled in this course may examine in Scotland:
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Scotland
itself has been a very frequent subject for literature. A remarkable
number of Scottish poems in particular discuss the country as a whole
(often rather bitterly). The Scottish Literature volumes feature dozens
of them, but works on "Scotland" per se are to be found anywhere, and
all are welcome in a study of this kind, as the student has come to Scotland
partly to feel what the country as a whole is like. Read, and comment
on all the "nationwide" Scottish literature you care to.
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Scottish
places. A remarkable number of Scottish poems, especially traditional
songs, have place names in their titles. A glance at the Table of Contents
for the last two volumes of Scottish Literature: An Anthology reveals
dozens. Some are tied to the named locale in only the vaguest way; others
are fairly specific, but all can have some validity in this course of
study (when the student has visited the place in question), as they stir
up associations in the Scots themselves, and an objective of this class
is to match those associations, however partially. The major sites are
of course the Highlands in general, Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Islands (Western
Islands, Orkney, or Shetland), and the North-east (say, St. Andrews to
Montrose, to Aberdeen).
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The
Scottish dialects are a fruitful field of study. Here the trick is
simply to listen to local speakers in the major divisions of Scottish
speech (say, Glasgow working neighborhoods, coffee shops in Aberdeen,
or Stromness), and try and match them to the dialect works the student
has read.
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Scottish
historical sites are of course the inspiration for much Scottish literature,
whether they refer directly to the physical features of the site or not.
The closer one feels to Scottish history, the closer one feels to the
Scots, and thus their literature. Visits to historical sites are encouraged.
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Scottish
museums, either literary (for example, authors' homes) or historical,
are a major source of inspiration for the student of Scottish literature.
Especially recommended here is the Scottish Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.
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Scottish
literature on the hoof, so to speak, is especially useful. This can
be taken in by attending Scottish plays (preferably on Scottish subjects),
"readings" by Scottish writers, or if the students can manage it, conversations
with Scottish writers.
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Meeting
the Scots themselves. Naturally, this is the best way to know Scotland.
Talk to everyone who will talk to you, whether about literature or anything
else (preferably Scottish affairs, of course). Then write up the conversation,
in terms of anything that struck you. Ask questions. It isn't always necessary
to tie your journal discussions to a particular work of literature (though
there are many individual works which discuss the nature of Scottish people
in the abstract).
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Scottish
song. Songs by Scots about Scotland are often very revealing. Many
are about Scotland itself, or Scottish places or events. Listening to
Scottish CD's, reading song-lyric collections, or attending Scottish song
concerts and ceilidhs are all useful.
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Where
to Visit
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There is scarcely
any part of Scotland which is void of literary interest, but here is a
brief list of some places in Scotland especially treated in Scottish literature.
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Aberdeen
The city is referred to very often in Scottish literature, especially
in song. Aberdeen is a major starting place to investigate the literature
the northeast, one of the major aspects of Scottish writing. Much of this
literature is centered upon the land. William's Alexander's (1826-1894)
Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk is a realistic study of 19th century life in
this region. There are some associations with Lord Byron (half Scottish),
who lived here for eight years as a child. Aberdeen is the home of Alexander
Scott, whose poem about his city, "Heart of Stone" (SL. III. 723), is
one of the most useful texts for this course. Other writers influenced
by this area include Violet Jacob, Charles Murray, Flora Garry, Marian
Angus, and George Bruce, the latter especially known for the northeast
seascapes-such as his famous "Kinnaird Head" SL. III. 499). William Tennant's
(1784-1848-SL. II. 564) splendid "Anster Fair" (SL. II. 557) is set in
nearby Anstruther. See the anthology, Ten Northeastern Poets, for a fine
collection of this area's writers in verse.
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Ayr,
and Ayrshire This is the major area for the study of Robert Burns
(1759-1796), born here and a resident for most of his life. The entire
area is full of biographical interest and places referred to in his poems
and letters. Not to be missed. There are many books on Burns and his milieu
and the Ayr tourist office has much information. The city of Ayr is a
short train ride (south) from Glasgow. One should see the Auld Bridge
(over the Ayr), Tam o'Shanter Inn, Burns Cottage/museum, Kirk Alloway,
the Brig o'Doon, the Burns Memorial. Also nearby Mauchline village (an
easy bus ride) offers the Burns House, the parish church and churchyard
where many of the characters in Burns' poems are buried, and Poosie Nanse's
(the famous Burns pub). Burns' most-loved poem among students of literature
is "Tam O' Shanter" (SL. II. 126), which is set in several places near
here. See Paul Hamilton's poem, "Petition of the Auld Brig o' Doon." (SL.
II. 437). John Galt's masterpiece, Annals of the Parish, is set in a fictional
Ayrshire village, Dalmailing, and is presumably Galt's tribute to his
childhood in Irving, Ayrshire. Auchinleck, 13 miles east of Ayr. has many
associations with James Boswell (1740-1795), born and raised here. Ochiltree,
10 miles east of Ayr, is the fictional "Barbie" of George Douglas Brown's
(1869-1902) great realistic novel, The House with the Green Shutters.
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Borders
(the area just north of the border with England) Abbotsford, 2.5 miles
southeast of Galashiels. The home of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). Virtually
a museum itself (because of Scott's antiquarian interests), Abbotsford
is a treasure house of information about the great Scottish poet and novelist
and of Scotland. The English/Scottish border is largely delineated by
the River Tweed, a constant point of reference in Scottish Literature.
Abbotsford is on the Tweed. Liddesdale is the area called the "Debatable
Lands," as they were claimed by both the Scots and English. It is perhaps
the richest source of the famous Border ballads, such as the ones about
"Johnny Armstrang," a native of this area. Walter Scott collected many
of his Minstrelsy ballads on what he called his "raids" into this section.
Near the town of Melrose are the Eildon Hills, which are very rich indeed
with literary reference. The poet/prophet Thomas of Erceldoune is said
to have me the Queen of Fairies here-"down by the Eildon Tree." Sydney
Smith's "Under the Eildon Tree," is probably the second greatest Scottish
poem of our century.
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Dalkeith
area (for those staying at Dalkeith house) Newbattle Abbey, a beautiful
edifice at the edge of Dalkeith, has been a college for adult learners
at which Edwin Muir (1887-1959) was warden. Among his pupils were Tom
Scott (1918-1995), George Mackay Brown (1921-1966) and Archie Hind (1928-
). The river Esk, which flows through Dalkeith Park, is often mentioned
in Scottish literature. The town itself is the site of David Moir's fine
1828 novel, Mansie Wauch, Tailor of Dalkeith. Walter Scott's splendid
novel, The Heart of Midlothian, has many scenes in the areas about Dalkeith.
The Scott family (Dukes of Buccleugh), which owns Dalkeith House-formerly
their principal residence-is frequently mentioned in Scottish literature,
especially by Walter Scott, who was a friend of the Duke. See his treatment
of the famous ballad about the Scotts, "Kinmont Willie" (SL. I. 521).
Dalkeith House is itself mentioned in Scottish Literature from time to
time. Haddington, about 15 miles east of Edinburgh, has associations with
John Knox (1513-1572) and especially Jane Welsh Carlyle, the latter of
which has her own museum here. Her sketch, "A Visit to Haddington" (SL.
II. 725), is an especially fine account of the village in the 19th century.
Hawthornden House near Roslin was the home of Scotland's most important
Renaissance poet, William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585-1649). Valerie
Gillies has a splendid poem on the poet and his home, "The Rock of Hawthornden"
(SL. III. 1029). The House is located on the River Esk. Penicuik, 8 miles
south of Edinburgh, was the home for many years of Samuel Crockett (1860-1914),
one the most successful of the Kailyard writers.
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Dumfries
Robert Burns spent the last several years of his life here. Here he is
buried, and there are many possibilities for exploring his life and works
in this vicinity. One should see the Burns House on Bank St., the Burns
House on Burns St., The Burns Mausoleum, the Burns Statue, the Burns Walk,
the Globe Inn, St. Michael's Church, and the Theater Royal. Nearby Ecclefechan
is the village where Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) was born. His house is
now a museum. Kirkfieldbank is the town in which Robert McLellan (1907-1985)
was born. His Linmill and Other Stories, (SL. III. 483) is devoted to
his life here.
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Edinburgh
Perhaps no other place in Scotland has so many literary associations as
this, Scotland's ancient capital and cultural center. Most Scottish writers
have had at least some connection with it. There are many books and brochures
on the city's literary sites and memorabilia, available from bookstores
and the tourist office on Princes Street. Among the many writers connected
strongly with Edinburgh are Allan Ramsay (1686-1758), James Boswell (1740-1795),
David Hume (1711-1776), Tobias Smollett (1721-1771), John Home (1722-1808),
Robert Fergusson (1750-1774), Walter Scott (1771-1832), Robert Louis Stevenson
(1850-1894), Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881), Hugh MacDiarmid (1892-1978)-who
is still remembered by many-George Bruce (1909- ), Robert Garioch (1909-1981),
Norman MacCaig (1910-1996), Sydney Smith (1915-11975), and Muriel Spark
(1918- ). Of these, the 18th century poet Fergusson may be most richly
associated with Edinburgh. His masterpiece "Auld Reekie," (SL. II. 32)
is perhaps the best-known tribute to the city. The best account of life
in 19th century Edinburgh is probably Elizabeth Grant's Memoirs of a Highland
Lady (SL. II. 662), published after her death in 1898. See also Alexander
Smith's fine poem, "Edinburgh" (L. II. 987). Robert Garioch is the modern
poet who concentrates the hardest upon the city itself, especially in
the form of satire, as in his famous, "Embro to the Ploy" (SL. III. 507).
The most famous of modern novels set in Edinburgh is no doubt Muriel Spark's
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, 1961, made into a successful movie and
play. The novel offers a fine insight into the city of that time (20s
and 30s), but is especially important for a study of Scotland and its
literature as Miss Brodie, the title character, is a symbol for Scotland
itself. The most notorious interpreter of Edinburgh in our own time is
surely Irvine Welsh (1948- ), whose obscenely comic novels of disaffected
youth have put the city on an international map of at least one kind.
His most famous novel is probably Trainspotting, which has been made into
an equally notorious movie. See "The Acid House" in SL. III. 1176. In
Edinburgh, the student should visit, among other places: The National
Portrait Gallery The City Library's basement Scottish collection, which
has copies of the McCordick anthologies on reserve among many other resources
for both literature and sites. The Poetry Library, which offers information
on readings in the area The Lady Stairs Museum, which features material
on Burns, Scott and Stevenson. The several marked (with plaques) houses
where Hume, Smollett, Scott and Stevenson lived. The Edinburgh Stevenson
trail: Colinton Parish Church and Manse where Stevenson visited very often.
And better yet, Swanston Cottage on the south fringe of the city, where
he also visited, and which offers a splendid view of the Pentlands. And
best of all, Hawes Inn in Queensferry, where the fictional David Balfour
was trepanned in Kidnapped.
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Glasgow
and area This great city is a point of reference for a vast amount
of Scottish literature, especially the realists of the "Glasgow School."
Most of the slums referred to in the earlier novels of this group have
been torn down, but there are endless literary links remaining. The first
of the Glasgow realists to make his mark was probably Edward Gaitens (1897-1966),
whose Dance of the Apprentices (SL. III. 412) is a landmark of Glasgow
slum treatments. Among the many writers associated with Glasgow are Frederick
Niven-The Justice of the Peace, 1914, the dramatist, James Bridie (1888-1951),
George Blake-The Shipbuilders, 1935, George Friel-Mr. Alfred, M.A, 1972,
Maurice Lindsay (1918- ), Edwin Morgan)- "Glasgow Sonnets" (SL. III 712),
Clifford Hanley-"The Orange and the Green" (SL. III. 769), Alasdair Gray-Lanark,
1981, Tom Leonard-his reputation rests almost entirely on his many poems
in Glasgow dialect-, Alan Spence -Its Colours They Are Fine (SL. III.
1003), Ronald Frame (1953- ), and the feminist poet, Liz Lochhead. One
of the best waysto know a large city is to read some of the "hard-boiled"
detective novels set there (every large city has some). The fine novelist
William McIlvanney writes detective stories about a Glasgow policeman,
Jack Laidlaw (Strange Loyalties, 1991), which are among the best of the
genre. McIlvanney is, however, better known as a "straight" novelist.
His story collection Walking Wounded (SL. III. 895), is an especially
fine introduction to life in the great city. Another writer who deals
often with the Glasgow underworld is Hugh Rae-Skinner, 1965. Glasgow has
a significant theater life. Roddy Macmillan's important working class
drama, The Bevellers, 1973, is set in a factory in that city. James Kelman
(1946- ), the most respected of contemporary Scottish prose writers, has
made the Glasgow dialect and the Glasgow working class his special field
of study. Almost all of his works are set there. How Late it is, How Late,
won the prestigious Booker prize (the British equivalent of the Pulitzer
Prize) a few years ago. See also his three stories in SL. III. 973. See
Alexander Smith's fine poem, "Glasgow" (SL. II. 984). Near Dunsyre village.
"Stonypath" (also called "Little Sparta"), the garden home of Ian Hamilton
Finlay (1925- ), is one of the literary sights of Scotland. It is a remarkable
combination of nature, philosophy, sculpture and literature. The poet
himself must be contacted for permission to visit, but he routinely grants
such permission. Any of the tourist offices in the vicinity can provide
the contact numbers. Greenock, an attractive town a few miles from Glasgow,
is associated with John Galt (1779-1839). Paisley, a charming town 8 miles
west of Glasgow, has connections with the weaver poet, Robert Tannahill
(1774-1810), and the contemporary playwright, John Byrne-The Slab Boys
trilogy. The Tannahill cottage is still maintained and there is also a
fine weaver's museum in the city.
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Hebrides (Western Islands) The classic work on this subject is, of
course, James Boswell's Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel
Johnson (1785), one of the great works of Scottish literature, and usually
considered the finest of all travel books. A major poet from the Isle
of Lewis is Iain Crichton Smith (1928-1996).
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Inverness,
and the Highlands Inverness is the unofficial capital of the Highlands,
a big claim, as the Highlands may be said to take up roughly the entire
north half of the country. But the "Highlands" taken as an entity are
a major part of the soul of Scotland, and surely of Scottish literature,
and Inverness is a good place to begin its study. The battle of Culloden
was fought nearby, and there are many historical/literary connections
in the area.
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Kirriemuir,
in Tayside (12 miles north of Dundee) was the village home of James Barrie
(1860-1937). The town was to become famous as the "Thrums" of many stories
and novels. His cottage/museum there is beautifully maintained.
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Laurencekirk,
Grampian, 14 miles SW of Stonehaven This area is the principal center
for Lewis Grassic Gibbon's trilogy A Scots Quair, generally said to be
the finest prose achievement of the 20th century in Scotland. The area
is called "The Howe o' the Mearns" and is treated itself from time to
time-Violet Jacob's "The Howe o' the Mearns" (SL. III. 111), Helen Cruickshank's
"Spring in the Mearns" (SL. III. 254).
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Montrose
(Tayside), 38 miles south of Aberdeen Montrose has strong connections
with Scotland's best modern poet, Hugh MacDiarmid (1892-1978), who lived
here from 1919-1929, arguably his most creative period. The novelist Tom
MacDonald ("Fionn Mac Colla" 1906-1975), was born here. As was the poet,
Violet Jacob (1863-1946). They were much influenced by the Scottish North-east.
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Orkney
A group of islands off the north coast of Scotland, Orkney is one of the
country's most distinctive areas, and one which displays the strongest
connections between land and literature. Its most famous son is George
Mackay Brown (1921-1996), who lived here most of his life, and who based
a very large percentage of his poems, stories ("Celia" SL. III. 741),
and novels-Greenvoe (1972)-upon this area A splendid comic treatment of
the island (featuring George Mackay Brown) is Alex Hamilton's "Dead Men
Walk" (SL. III. 846). Also noted for their Orkney associations are Edwin
Muir-Autobiography (1954), and the novelist, Eric Linklater-White Maa's
Saga (1929). See David Vedder's "To Orkney" (SL. II. 609).
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Perth,
and Perthshire Perth has associations with John Knox, Walter Scott-The
Fair Maid of Perth, 1828), William Soutar (1893-1943), James Kennaway-Tunes
of Glory, 1956. Aberuthven village (11 miles SW of Perth) is the fictional
"Strathinver" in that fine book of character sketches by Robin Bell (1945-
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St.
Andrews (Fife) This beautiful, smallish city, home of the oldest of
Scottish universities, has a wealth of literary associations. One of the
major poems of the 19th century, "Papistry Stormed," by William Tennant
(1784-1848-SL. II. 564) concerns the destruction of the St. Andrews cathedral,
a landmark of the city. Among the writers associated with the city are
Andrew Lang-"Almae Matres" (SL. II. 1102), Edwin Muir, Tom Scott-"Brand
the Builder" (SL. III. 664). An especially fine modern treatment of the
city is found in Trevor Royle's essay, "The Children in the Apple Tree"
(SL. III. 966).
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Tarbert,
Loch Fyne (Argyll). This is the source for the fictional town of Brieston
in John MacDougall Hay's (1881-1919) classic novel, Gillespie.
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The
Trossachs, (around Loch Katrine) This famously wild section of Highland
Scotland is the scene of many Scottish works, one of the most famous being
Walter Scott's narrative poem, Lady of the Lake (1810)
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Historical
sites
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The country
is replete with places of historical note-which have inevitably served
as sources of literary inspiration. Besides the great cities of Edinburgh
and Glasgow themselves, one might mention- 1. The Battle of Bannockburn
(very near Stirling), fought in 1314, was the site of Robert the Bruce's
victory over Edward II of England, and much the focus of John Barbour's
(1320-1395) great epic, The Bruce. 2. The Battle of Culloden (1746), at
Culloden Moor near Inverness, was the site of Bonnie Prince Charlie's
crushing defeat by the English. There are literally hundreds of songs
about Prince Charlie, and the battle itself is a source of constant interest,
for example, Smollett's "The Tears of Scotland, 1746" (SL. I. 1026), Iain
Smith's "Culloden and After" (SL. III. 791). 3. The Massacre of Glencoe,
Glencoe, Argyll, where occurred the celebrated slaughter of members of
Clan MacDonald by the Campbells in 1692.
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The
Top Ten Literary Sites (a
quite arbitrary listing)
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- Abbotsford (Melrose)
- Burns trail in Ayr/Mauchline
- Burns trail in Dumfries
- Scottish National Portrait
Gallery (Edinburgh)
- "Little Sparta" (Lanarkshire)
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- Barrie's birthplace/museum
(Kirriemuir)
- Thomas and Jane Carlyle's
Home (London)
- Jane Carlyle's Home (Haddington)
- Lady Stair's House (Edinburgh)
- Boswell House/Museum (Auchinleck)
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Theater
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Theater is not
one of Scotland's strong points, but of course it is a major part of any
country's literary life. There are state-supported theaters all over Scotland,
but understandably, most are to be found in the major cities of Edinburgh
and Glasgow. Any Scottish play (that is, a play by a Scottish author set
in Scotland) would be worth seeing in terms of this course's structure,
but most important would be plays by the major Scottish dramatists or
plays, which are-
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a. three
early classics:
- David Lindsay, An Satyre
of the Three Estates
- Allan Ramsay, The Gentle
Shepherd
- John Home, Douglas
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b. Any works from these
four major modern playwrights:
- James Barrie
- James Bridie
- Robert McLellan
- C. P. Taylor
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c. Any play by these
several interesting contemporary dramatists:
- Donald Campbell, e.g. The
Widows of Clyth
- Stewart Conn, The Burning,
Play Donkey
- Sue Glover, The Bondagers
- Liz Lochhead, Mary Queen
of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off
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The single most
important venue for the production of new Scottish plays is the Traverse
Theater, in Edinburgh. The Traverse has two stages, normally both doing
new Scottish plays. The student ought to attend a play here if at all
possible. The Traverse also schedules festivals of new one-act plays on
an informal basis. These are usually fascinatingly "Scottish."
The famous Edinburgh
festival, normally active for the last part of August, is one of the world's
most important showcases for new plays. There is, unfortunately, no particular
emphasis upon Scottish drama, but logistics being what they are, a fair
number of Scottish plays are normally presented during this time.
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Readings
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Bookstores are
the best source of "readings" (that is, authors reading from their own
newly-published works, answering questions, signing books). Waterstone's
and James Thin in Edinburgh usually have something going-often a reading
every week. They have web sites, where announcements are made. The readings
are usually free, and the writers will usually field questions about writings
or subjects other than the ones they are selling at the moment. Readings
are an excellent way to meet the Scottish writers, and to see how they
operate in a Scottish milieu.
But there are
a number of organizations which also promote readings-the Scottish Poetry
Library does, for example, and there are various arts councils, booksellers
organizations, and so on. The Scottish Poetry Library usually keeps track
of these things (check their billboards), as do the university bulletin
boards, and the tourist offices.
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Web
Resources
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There are many
Scottish sites on the Web, almost always connected to other web sites.
The usual surfing techniques (searches for "Scotland," "Scottish Literature,"
and so on) are guaranteed to produce results. But for specific places
to start on the web:
Tartan Pages
Scotweb
Burns Country (has his complete works, plus an excellent list of literary
sites)
Rampant Scotland
Traverse.co.uk (for the Traverse Theater)
Amazon.com -look under "Scottish Literature"
Andrew Crumey's web pages, which include a large number of literary links,
and a quite decent history of Scottish Literature
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Selected
Bibliography
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If possible, consult
Alan Bold's. Scotland: A Literary Guide. This is the best single book
on the Scottish land/literature subject. It is, however, very far from
complete, and it is out of print. A Literary Tour Guide to England
and Scotland, Emilie Harting ed., is quite useful for its chapters
on Scottish sites.
Boyle, Andrew.
The Ayrshire Book of Burns Lore. 1996.
Mackay, James.
Burns Lore of Dumfries and Galloway. 1988.
Also useful are
the general tourist guides to Scotland or its specific cities/areas. Most
tour books will contain information on literary sites (a famous author's
home, or a subject treated in literature, like the Brig o' Doon), museums
and historical sites. Especially commended here: Blue Guide to Scotland.
The general biographical guides will usually contain some information
about the connection between a given writer and the geographical areas
he concentrated upon-for example, the Dictionary of National Biography.
Highest recommendation here: Trevor Royle's. The Mainstream Companion
to Scottish Literature.
A particularly
fine fictional introduction to Literary Scotland is Robert Louis Stevenson's
novel, Kidnapped (1886). Stevenson intended the book as a primer
for Scotland itself-its history, culture and geography. The "kidnapped"
hero, David Balfour, must wander all over Scotland, and almost everywhere
he goes, he encounters historical characters and famous places. To follow
his journey, with a map and preferably an automobile, is a rewarding pursuit.
As mentioned,
the standard general anthology is David McCordick's three volume Scottish
Literature: An Anthology. Its brief introductions to Scottish Literature,
and to the various periods and writers are useful for our purposes. Virtually
all important Scottish writers are represented here.
The only significant
academic journal devoted to Scottish literature is Studies in Scottish
Literature, edited by G. Ross Roy, published in annual hard cover
editions by the University of South Carolina, and now up to volume XXXI.
The series is especially valuable for its extensive book reviews.
The standard literary
history is the History of Scottish Literature, 4 vols., ed. by Cairns
Craig, et al.
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A good one-volume
survey is Maurice Lindsay's A History of Scottish Literature.
The Literature of Scotland, Roderick Watson.
Modern Scottish Literature, Alan Bold.
Scottish Poetry: a Critical Survey, J. Kinsley.
A History of Scottish Theater, Bill Findlay, ed. |
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The best single-title
edition of Scottish Classics, of all genres, is the recent Canongate Classics,
a body of inexpensive, well-chosen paperbacks reprinting the major works
of Scottish literature, financed through a sizable grant from the Scottish
Arts Council.
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The Poetry of Scotland,
Roderick Watson, ed. (standard)
The Oxford book of Scottish Verse, MacQueen and Scott, eds.
The Faber Book of Twentieth Century Scottish Poetry, Douglas Dunn,
ed.
An Anthology of Scottish Women Poets, Catherine Kerrigan, ed. (good
bibliography, and biographical notes)
Dream State: The New Scottish Poets, Daniel O'Rourke, ed. (best
book on most recent Scottish poets)
The Devil and the Giro: The Scottish Short Story, Carl MacDougall,
ed. (best)
The Giant Book of Scottish Short Stories, Carl MacDougall, ed.
The Oxford Book of Scottish Short Stories, Douglas Dunn, ed.
Classic Scottish Short Stories, J. M. Reid, ed.
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Among other general reference books, Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland,
John and Julie Deay, eds., is worth consulting. The most convenient Scots
dictionary is the one-volume Concise Scots Dictionary, available
in paperback, edited by Mairi Robinson.
Online, consult
the "City Life" web site for information about what's on, in Glasgow.
"The List" is the best printed guide for what's on in Glasgow, though
it purports to cover Edinburgh as well.
"What's On Edinburgh"
is the best guide to events in Edinburgh. These sorts of guides are readily
available in bookstores and tourist offices.
Finally, the entire
Table of Contents for the instructor's three volume Scottish Literature:
An Anthology is given in this website, as it is the standard collection,
and one which gives an almost complete listing of important Scottish poets
and short story writers, and at least a reasonable glimpse of the major
playwrights and novelists (though their short stories). The Table is especially
useful in that the number of selections and total pages given to each
author is a rough approximation of their relative importance to Scottish
Literature.
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