Greig's first novel and a personal favorite.
Electric Brae: A Modern Romance (1992): is one of my favorite novels. It is set on Orkney and is a gritty tale of friendship, romance, betrayal, danger, mountain climbing, and loss that centers on the friendship and tribulations of a disgruntled oil rig worker, Jimmy, and his best friend, Graham. Like the optical illusion after which the book is titled, its protagonists seek to find deeper truths beneath surface appearances. Unforgettable characters, honest dialogue, and poetic imagery make for a stunning first novel.
The Return of John McNab (1996) is a remake of John Buchan’s 1925 novel. It’s a romp in which three mates try their hand at poaching from local aristocrats. A grand lark, or a commentary on social privilege? Both, actually, and much more. When the hardnosed, hard-drinking, hard-loving Kirsty Fowler breaks up the old-boys’ network, the heather begins to fly.
When They Lay Bare (1999) is Greig’s most complex book. It’s set on an estate in the “debatable lands” region along the Scottish Borders and reworks themes from classic Scottish folksongs. Is the mysterious young woman who’s squatting in an estate cottage with her antique raven plates seeking quiet, love, or revenge? Or is she a ghost? [Caution: Some background reading on folk tales referenced in the novel is a prerequisite for thorough understanding.]
That Summer (2000) shows up in some bookstores under its original title, The Clouds Above. Set in England during the Blitz, it’s a story of living life to its fullest for as long as it lasts, which wasn’t very long for most RAF pilots in the early days of World War II. Among other things it’s a Zen war romance.
In Another Light (2004) is a sprawling tour de force based on events that happened to Greig’s father. A son discovers that his recently departed father—known for his stolid reason—harbored a passion-driven secret. The book rockets back and forth between Penang and Sumatra in the 1930s, and modern-day Orkney and London. This book won major literature prizes and deserved them!
Romanno Bridge (2006): The John McNab crew regroups for a new adventure that takes them to various parts of Scotland, England, and Norway to solve the riddle of the Stone of Scone. It’s ike a Dan Brown thriller with much better prose! Readers should definitely read The Return of John McNab first.
Greig’s poetry is also highly recommended. Individual volumes are hard to find in North America, but This Life, This Life (2006) is available. It contains selections from eight collections that appeared between 1973 and 2006. Greig’s poetry varies from book-length metaphorical poems to terse and deeply personal verse. This Life will point you in the direction of which you prefer.
Greig’s mountaineering books are also hard to locate in North America (and are pricey when available). If you can find it, however, Summit Fever—his account of his first climbing expedition—is a thrilling read that predates Jon Krakhauer’s Into Thin Air by a decade. Greig’s Preferred Lies: A Journey into the Heart of Scottish Golf (2007) sometimes shows up in used shops.
The Return of John McNab (1996) is a remake of John Buchan’s 1925 novel. It’s a romp in which three mates try their hand at poaching from local aristocrats. A grand lark, or a commentary on social privilege? Both, actually, and much more. When the hardnosed, hard-drinking, hard-loving Kirsty Fowler breaks up the old-boys’ network, the heather begins to fly.
When They Lay Bare (1999) is Greig’s most complex book. It’s set on an estate in the “debatable lands” region along the Scottish Borders and reworks themes from classic Scottish folksongs. Is the mysterious young woman who’s squatting in an estate cottage with her antique raven plates seeking quiet, love, or revenge? Or is she a ghost? [Caution: Some background reading on folk tales referenced in the novel is a prerequisite for thorough understanding.]
That Summer (2000) shows up in some bookstores under its original title, The Clouds Above. Set in England during the Blitz, it’s a story of living life to its fullest for as long as it lasts, which wasn’t very long for most RAF pilots in the early days of World War II. Among other things it’s a Zen war romance.
In Another Light (2004) is a sprawling tour de force based on events that happened to Greig’s father. A son discovers that his recently departed father—known for his stolid reason—harbored a passion-driven secret. The book rockets back and forth between Penang and Sumatra in the 1930s, and modern-day Orkney and London. This book won major literature prizes and deserved them!
Romanno Bridge (2006): The John McNab crew regroups for a new adventure that takes them to various parts of Scotland, England, and Norway to solve the riddle of the Stone of Scone. It’s ike a Dan Brown thriller with much better prose! Readers should definitely read The Return of John McNab first.
Greig’s poetry is also highly recommended. Individual volumes are hard to find in North America, but This Life, This Life (2006) is available. It contains selections from eight collections that appeared between 1973 and 2006. Greig’s poetry varies from book-length metaphorical poems to terse and deeply personal verse. This Life will point you in the direction of which you prefer.
Greig’s mountaineering books are also hard to locate in North America (and are pricey when available). If you can find it, however, Summit Fever—his account of his first climbing expedition—is a thrilling read that predates Jon Krakhauer’s Into Thin Air by a decade. Greig’s Preferred Lies: A Journey into the Heart of Scottish Golf (2007) sometimes shows up in used shops.
PS--You might want to underline Scots terms and get their definitions from Website such as A Glossary of Scots Terms.
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1 comment:
Your comments are, as always,so well-written and so like you. Your synopses of Greig's works sound so very characteristic of your kind of reading: Scottish, intellectual and literate.
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