Scottish book of the week

Eriskay: Where I Was Born

Angus Edward Macinnes, Birlinn £12.99 Angus Edward MacInnes, born at Haun, Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides in 1925, returned in his imagination to the island of his birth to create what, since its first publication in 1997, has become a classic account of an almost forgotten way of life.

His autobiography, told with the rhythms and storytelling techniques of his native Gaelic, combines the author’s personal experiences with his observations of life around him.

The result is a complete picture of Eriskay, from its topography to descriptions of the islanders’ dress, diet and schooling.

The island’s traditions are brought vividly to life with amazing but true stories of “giants”, strong men, ghosts and the second sight.

Stories include a hilarious first-hand account of the aftermath of the sinking of the SS Politician, later immortalised in Whisky Galore.

In the Second World War the author (who died in 2005) travelled the high seas as a radio officer – in the course of which he survived a torpedo attack – and later worked as a deep-sea fishermen before becoming a captain for CalMac ferries on the Clyde.

The book is an entertaining memoir of island life and also a fascinating glimpse into the social history of a past way of life.

9/10