Book event hears tales of a tartan-clad explorer
Author John Keay visited Blairgowrie on Saturday as the guest speaker for the latest in the 2017 programme of events for members of the BOOKMARK festival.
He has been writing about India, Asia and Scotland for more than 40 years and is the author of around 20 books.
He won the Royal Society for Asian Affairs’ Sir Percy Sykes Memorial Medal in 2009 for his literary contribution to Asian studies.
For his visit to Blairgowrie, Argyllbased John discussed his latest book, The Tartan Turban: In Search of Alexander Gardner.
Gardner is described by historian John as “the most extraordinary of all the 19th century’s great adventurers” and there was a good turnout at the Newton Castle Barn for his talk.
He discussed whether Gardner was a fantasist, a plagiarist or the 19th century’s most intrepid traveller, commenting that he was certainly a great story-teller. Suggesting that all his journeys were “explorations handicapped by adventures”, John described how Gardner was the first American to visit and fight in Afghanistan, where he made three great journeys, and said that when Gardner’s memoir was published some 12 years after his death, no-one could believe it.
John said: “I like to think Gardner’s father was Scottish, possibly from Argyll, where I now live, as he had Campbell as a family name.”
And commenting on his visit to Blairgowrie he said: “I love coming to Perthshire, as it was home to my father’s family.”
Chair of the BOOKMARK Festival, Janey Lambie, thanked John for his entertaining and informative presentation.
She said: “We were delighted to see such a good turnout for this distinguished author, and many, many thanks to John for accepting our invitation to come and tell the tall - but true - tales of this rollicking adventurer, Alexander Gardner.
“Everyone seemed to enjoy the wonderful, colourful illustrations and the stories of the strangest of adventures of this tartan-clad adventurer, beside whom Indiana Jones pales into insignificance.
“It is a great pleasure to be part of team BOOKMARK, which really pulls out all the stops to give attendees a truly hospitable welcome.
“We very much appreciate the support of Sir William Macpherson of Cluny in giving BOOKMARK the use of Newton Barn for these events.”
The next BOOKMARK member’s event is on Friday, May 12, at 7pm, in Newton Castle Barn, when Andrew Nicholl will talk about his murder mystery, The Secret Life and Curious Death of Miss Jean Milne, which is based on a true story and, with new evidence from police files, may finally have been solved.
For further information see the website at www.bookmarkblair.com.