A celebration of Scottish achievement in a global context
‘Thaim wi a guid Scots tongue in their heid are fit tae gang ower the warld.’
In
The Scottish World, renowned broadcaster Billy Kay takes us on a global journey of discovery, highlighting the extraordinary influence the Scots have had on communities and cultures on almost every continent.
While others have questioned the self-confidence of the Scots, Kay has travelled the world from Bangkok to Brazil, Warsaw to Waikiki and found ringing endorsements for the integrity and intellect, the poetry and passion of the Scottish people in every country he has visited.
He expands people’s view of Scotland by relating remarkable stories of the wealthy Scottish merchant community in Gdansk; of national geniuses of Scots descent, such as Lermontov in Russia and Grieg in Norway; of an American Civil War blamed on Sir Walter Scott and initiated in the St Andrews Society of Charleston; of inspirational missionaries in Calabar and Budapest; of Scotch Professors establishing football in soccer strongholds like Barcelona and São Paulo; of pioneers like Sandeman and Cockburn and the Scottish roots of many of the great wines of Europe; and of our amazing involvement in liberation movements in Malawi, Chile, Peru, Greece, Corsica and India.
The Scottish World is a celebration of the enormous contribution the Scots have made to the modern world.
Author Biography
Billy Kay was born in Galston, Ayrshire, in 1951 and studied at Edinburgh University. A writer and presenter for both radio and television, he is also the author of
Scots: The Mither Tongue.
Reviews
Weaves a web of world-wide Scottishness with a weft of critical humour and a woof of knowledgeable feeling,Full of revelations about the Scottish diaspora overlooked by most historians,Makes clear Scotland’s contribution to world history,A well-researched study of the real influence Scots have had on the modern world in which we can take a proper pride
