For many armchair travelers the Outer Hebrides of Scotland epitomize the beauty and remoteness of island life. And the most dramatic of all the Hebrides is Harris, where the legendary Harris Tweed is woven by local crofters, reflecting the strength, durability, and integrity of life on Harris. Harris has dramatic mountains and huge, pristine sandy beaches bordering the open Atlantic. Yeadon captures in words and through his evocative line drawings the life of the island people, their folkways and humour and the simple life of crofting and fishing which have hardly changed in hundreds of years. Although sometimes threatened by the inroads of commerce and tourism, Harris remains in many ways idyllic, the most resonant and romantic of all the Hebridean islands. Yeadon also makes side trips to Barra, the southernmost of the Hebrides, to the Shiant Islands with author Adam Nicolson and to the fabled St. Kilda, the most remote of all the Scottish islands, 50 miles out in the Atlantic, wreathed in legend and history. There are 35 line drawings by the author.

About the Author

David Yeadon is the author of National Geographic Guide to the World's Secret Places (2004) which has sold nearly 150,000 copies and Seasons in Basilicata. He has written, illustrated, and designed 25 books about travel around the world.

Reviews

Yeadon (Seasons in Basilicata) delivers on his promise that "Harris is an island that never bores." His reputation as a keen observer of the life and culture of some of the world's most obscure communities is reaffirmed with the contents of this delightful travel journal. Like Vivaldi creating a hypnotic composition, Yeadon takes the reader through four seasons of daily life-and strife-among the local residents of Harris, an island in the Outer Hebrides of northwest Scotland and a place as old as the planet itself. On the verge of losing the old traditions of crofting (small-plot farming) and the weaving that produces the famous Harris tweed, these Hebridians nevertheless reveal themselves as sturdy folk with determination enough to weather any storm. Is the island about to die off as the younger generation leaves for greener pastures? Is the strength and hope of the elder residents enough to sustain the cherished culture and folkways that define this far-flung Scottish island? This enjoyable chronicle, strengthened by an important note of concern about the direction of growth and prosperity in the 21st century, is recommended for both public and academic libraries.-Richard Dickey, Library of Congress Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

"Leave it to Yeadon to choose one of the country's most overlooked provinces."--Pamela Paul, New York Times

Employing a similar formula to that of his last book, Seasons in Basilicata, Yeadon recounts the year-2004, arranged by season-he spent with his wife, Anne, on Harris, a small island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland famous for its remote beauty and home-loomed tweed. With a weave of islanders' loquacious stories and rural gossip into an overview of Hebridean history and the couple's own adventures exploring the area, this memoir is perfect for anyone considering a trip to the Outer Hebrides or tracing their ancestors back to its craggy coasts. Fans of the famous Harris Tweed will also find lots of tidbits about the history and current state of this ancient textile and the craft that creates it, and anyone interested in age-old customs waning in the world's hinterlands will find the island's contradictions poignant. At times, the book feels like that familiar traveler's sensation of having arrived home to find that the panoramic snapshot excitedly clicked in an exuberant moment of discovery is just a bit too small or personal. Yet, Yeadon hits high notes recounting history-laden conversations with locals who all have the Gaelic gift of gab, creating an altogether enjoyable read full of unique and likable people. (July) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.