Neil Gunn is one of the most famous and considered a classic Scottish writer. We felt we would be amiss if we did not feature one of his books. We are currently trying to find a source of his books so if anyone knows any of his books currently for sale please click the Radiance email and let us know.

The book we have chosen takes place during the time of the clearances and is rich with imagery of the era.

Butcher's Broom, one of Neil Gunn's richest, most nuanced novels, introduces Dark Mairi, "like a bit of the earth was given hands and eyes," a healer and core of strength for a small Scottish community of crofters. Her story unfolds during the early nineteenth century Highland clearances, when landlords dispossessed whole villages to make way for wintering sheep. As her neighbors' lives and her own begin to crumble in the face of encroaching progress, Mairi's life-giving spirit provides a stabilizing link to tradition.

Gunn retraces the roots of Highland culture as he weaves the stories of Gaelic villagers. The songs of the Bards are intertwined with the stories of sad Elie,' who wanders among strangers with her fatherless child; fiery Seonaid, who defies the invaders from her rooftop; tortured Rob, who fails in his loving; and Dark Mairi, who does not. Despite Butcher's Broom's tragic climax, its conclusion is not without tenderness and hope. It transcends time and place to speak about what is most lasting and precious in humankind.

Scottish Radiance is an Associate of Amazon.com Books and you can order this book from them by going to Butcher's Broom.