Whisky, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster

Traveling through Scotland with Boswell and Johnson

Nonfiction, Travel, Europe, Great Britain
Cover of the book Whisky, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster by William W. Starr, University of South Carolina Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: William W. Starr ISBN: 9781611171228
Publisher: University of South Carolina Press Publication: June 5, 2012
Imprint: University of South Carolina Press Language: English
Author: William W. Starr
ISBN: 9781611171228
Publisher: University of South Carolina Press
Publication: June 5, 2012
Imprint: University of South Carolina Press
Language: English

Whisky, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster is a memoir of a twenty-first-century literary pilgrimage to retrace the famous eighteenth-century Scottish journey of James Boswell and Samuel Johnson, two of the most celebrated writers of their day. William W. Starr enlivens this crisply written travelogue with a playful wit, an enthusiasm for all things Scottish, the boon and burden of American sensibility, and an ardent appreciation for Boswell and Johnson—who make frequent cameos throughout these ramblings. In 1773 the sixty-three-year-old Johnson was England's preeminent man of letters, and Boswell, some thirty years Johnson's junior, was on the cusp of achieving his own literary celebrity. For more than one hundred days, the distinguished duo toured what was then largely unknown Scottish terrain, later publishing their impressions of the trip in a pair of classic journals. In 2007 Starr embarked on a three-thousand-mile trek through the Scottish Lowlands and Highlands, following the path—though in reverse—of Boswell and Johnson. He recorded a wealth of keen observations on his encounters with people and places, lochs and lore, castles and clans, fables and foibles. Starr couples his contemporary commentary with passages from Boswell's and Johnson's published accounts, letters, and diaries to weave together a cohesive travel guide to the Scotland of yore and today. This is a celebration of Scottish life and a spirited endorsement of the wondrous, often unexpected discoveries to be made through good travel and good writing.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Whisky, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster is a memoir of a twenty-first-century literary pilgrimage to retrace the famous eighteenth-century Scottish journey of James Boswell and Samuel Johnson, two of the most celebrated writers of their day. William W. Starr enlivens this crisply written travelogue with a playful wit, an enthusiasm for all things Scottish, the boon and burden of American sensibility, and an ardent appreciation for Boswell and Johnson—who make frequent cameos throughout these ramblings. In 1773 the sixty-three-year-old Johnson was England's preeminent man of letters, and Boswell, some thirty years Johnson's junior, was on the cusp of achieving his own literary celebrity. For more than one hundred days, the distinguished duo toured what was then largely unknown Scottish terrain, later publishing their impressions of the trip in a pair of classic journals. In 2007 Starr embarked on a three-thousand-mile trek through the Scottish Lowlands and Highlands, following the path—though in reverse—of Boswell and Johnson. He recorded a wealth of keen observations on his encounters with people and places, lochs and lore, castles and clans, fables and foibles. Starr couples his contemporary commentary with passages from Boswell's and Johnson's published accounts, letters, and diaries to weave together a cohesive travel guide to the Scotland of yore and today. This is a celebration of Scottish life and a spirited endorsement of the wondrous, often unexpected discoveries to be made through good travel and good writing.

More books from University of South Carolina Press

Cover of the book Lily Briscoe's Chinese Eyes by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Ghosts of the Wild West by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Ezra and the Law in History and Tradition by William W. Starr
Cover of the book On the Waters of the Wissahickon by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Understanding Susan Sontag by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Shurāt Legends, Ibāḍī Identities by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Understanding Richard Russo by William W. Starr
Cover of the book A Life Afield by William W. Starr
Cover of the book You Can't Padlock an Idea by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Hard Lines by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Mosaic of Fire by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Scenic Impressions by William W. Starr
Cover of the book More Than a Likeness by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Understanding Cormac McCarthy by William W. Starr
Cover of the book Understanding Alice Adams by William W. Starr
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy