Subtitled The Life of a North East Farm, this is the story of six generations of the author's family and their farm in Little Ardo of Methlich in the north east of Scotland.
The book concentrates on the author's own lifetime and particularly his childhood reminiscences. It is fascinating to read how much farming techniques have changed over the years, specially the change from labour intensive to mechanised, which happened pretty speedily on this farm. Although most farm workers benefitted in many ways from mechanisation, what struck me as a negative was that men who had had a close working relationship with a horse and who got a lot of exercise working that horse, such that in winter it kept them warm, really felt the cold (and the lack of exercise) when they found themselves on the seat of an open tractor!
As well as telling his family's history with an affectionate eye and close attention to detail, the author has a real ability to capture individual voices and to tell amusing anecdotes.
This is an informative and entertaining book for anyone with an interest in rural life in Scotland.
The Truth Tells Twice by Charlie Allan published by Ardo
I love the theme/idea behind this book. Spanning six generations really gives it a longitudinal feel.
ReplyDeleteFarming is hard work!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book recommendation! I was happy to see that there's a Kindle version, and immediately requested a free sample of the beginning of the book. Hopefully I'll like the sample so much that I'll buy the whole book. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting read... Have you read any of Wendell Berry's Port William Novels?
ReplyDeleteOptimistic - yes that's one of the most interesting things about the book
ReplyDeleteRabbits Guy - it is indeed
dosankodebbie - hope you enjoy the read
sage - no i haven't even heard of them!