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The Makers of Scotland: Picts, Romans, Gaels and Vikings Paperback – September 15, 2013
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From Lothian to Orkney, from Fife to the Isle of Skye, fierce battles were won and lost. By AD 1000 the political situation had changed for ever. Led by a dynasty of Gaelic-speaking kings the Picts and Scots began to forge a single, unified nation which transcended past enmities. In this book the remarkable story of how ancient North Britain became the medieval kingdom of Scotland is told.
- Print length272 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBirlinn
- Publication dateSeptember 15, 2013
- Dimensions5 x 0.8 x 7.75 inches
- ISBN-101780271735
- ISBN-13978-1780271736
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Product details
- Publisher : Birlinn; Reprint edition (September 15, 2013)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 272 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1780271735
- ISBN-13 : 978-1780271736
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5 x 0.8 x 7.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #119,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #34 in Scotland History
- #549 in Ancient Civilizations
- Customer Reviews:
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Customers find the book informative and well-researched. They appreciate the author's detailed account of the competing interests between Picts, Scots, Briton, and English. Readers describe it as an excellent read, well-written, and enjoyable.
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Customers find the book informative and well-researched. It provides a detailed account of the many ebbs and flows of the ancient roots and history of the British Isles. The author does an excellent job explaining the competing interests of Picts, Scots, Briton, and English. They appreciate the thorough exploration of the subject and the good discussion of the sources used, including their biases.
"Clarkson has written an excellent history of a relatively obscure past relying primarily on archeological findings and scant written documents,..." Read more
"...There are a number of maps in the book, all helpful, but none that show just the most frequently referred to places, regions and geographic/..." Read more
"...The author does an excellent job of explaining the competing interests of Picts, Scots, Britons, English (Anglo-Saxons), Irish and Norse and Danish..." Read more
"...The interior of the book looks to be full of information." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They appreciate the detailed account and thoughtful presentation.
"...But still a terrific read - detailed and fascinating." Read more
"...With that caveat, I recommend the book because it is very well written and explores a subject about which I knew only a little." Read more
"Not an easy read ..but I knew that before ordering. The amount of detail is enormous but it is a history so that is par for the course...." Read more
"An excellent read, I have enjoyed it! Book in great shape on arrival, well written" Read more
Customers enjoy the book. They find it thorough and not boring.
"...Enjoyable. But, I find I really need more graphics, maps, photos etc. Ended up buying other books to supplement, like "Strongholds of the Picts."" Read more
"Great read, not at all boring. Wish history had been written like this when I was in high school." Read more
"Enjoyable and thorough....A good read...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2018Clarkson has written an excellent history of a relatively obscure past relying primarily on archeological findings and scant written documents, including some fragments of medieval poetry. There is little to go on but the story is fascinating although he is very careful to use qualifiers such as: perhaps, might have, possibly, alternatively. However, the reader gets caught up in the actions of kings or overlords, the various rivalries, the growth of the church, the warfare and continuous struggle for more land and power. As little as we might know about some of these leaders, lost now in the mists of time, men such as Oengus, Brude, Constantine and Aed were equal in many ways to better known figures of the later Middle Ages. He also discusses new theories which counteract the traditional view that the Scots from Ireland that settled Dalriada ultimately vanquished the Picts. The new theory is that the so-called Scots were always there but turned to Ireland because of its proximity. They were separated from the Picts in the east by the Alban Mounth. Because of the closeness to Ireland, their language, Gaelic, gradually became more like Irish. There was no invasion and conquest but a process of cultural change due to trade, intermarriage, warfare and the movement of people. The Picts and other Celtic people such as the Alt Clute did not disappear but lost lost their names and cultural distinction over a period of time. Like other reviewers, I wish the maps had been more detailed but it was still a fascinating read.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2017I would make the same comment as one reader of another of Clarkson's books made about the lack of a map (or maps) showing significant and often-referred to placenames and geological features with which the various tribes, kindreds and peoples are referenced to in the text. Again, as a non-UK resident I found myself unable to visualize the location without frequent interruption to look something up in another reference. There are a number of maps in the book, all helpful, but none that show just the most frequently referred to places, regions and geographic/geological features. But still a terrific read - detailed and fascinating.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2024This is a good book on a complex subject. The author does an excellent job of explaining the competing interests of Picts, Scots, Britons, English (Anglo-Saxons), Irish and Norse and Danish Vikings from the 5th to the 11th centuries. But before all that, it begins with the Romans and the barbarians. As the headline suggests, the genealogies of the kings, chiefs and other leaders are overwhelming. The frequent similarity of names does not help. Also, the author uses approximations of original given names, so that Kenneth McAlpin becomes Cinaed mac Ailpin and so on. I gave up trying to keep track of them all very early on. and tried instead to focus on the narrative of the overall picture. So, I think I have a pretty good sense of the subject in general. But with some notable exceptions, the details of who did what, where and when have not stuck with me. With that caveat, I recommend the book because it is very well written and explores a subject about which I knew only a little.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2020An excellent read, I have enjoyed it! Book in great shape on arrival, well written
- Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2021All I have ha d time to do is flip through it, but the maps and photos were very interesting. I have Scottish ancestry on my mother side. King Duncan was a distant ancestor, but this goes back much further.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2020This book was delivered quickly and in new condition! It is still in my stack of books waiting to be read. The interior of the book looks to be full of information.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2018Well research and well presented, the author provides a detailed account of the many ebbs and flows of the history of North Britain and the North of Ireland. While some theories run contrary to established thought and are a bit hard to swallow, the author typically presents his case in a thorough and thoughtful way. Example: The use of the Gaelic language in the Western Isles stemmed from sustained interaction with the people in the North of Ireland and not through the migration of peoples from Ireland.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Get some background of the Celts before you start to kind of prepare you ........
I liked the opportunity to investigate my people according to history.
Top reviews from other countries
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Antônio Coelho de Souza do NasciementoReviewed in Brazil on May 5, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
Muito bom. Satisfeito
- TVR-AndyReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
As an individual I am interested in this period in Scotland's history. This book is excellent and easy to read and follow the events. Good explanations on events and also the difficulty of getting accurate information in some time periods. Great.
- MattReviewed in Australia on March 7, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Cool
Very easy read and informative
- BenReviewed in Canada on November 14, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Quality
The book came in good quality.
I knew relatively little about Scottish history prior to purchasing this book and was able to learn a great deal by carefully reading it through.
- Barry CorbettReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2017
4.0 out of 5 stars easy to read
Well written, easy to read. Tim Clarkson assumes his readership is starting from scratch, so gives very good explanations on historical reference and their plausibility..