Product Description

CROWDIE AND CREAM: Peopled with characters like Great Aunt Rachel, 'built like a Churchill tank and with a personality to match', these are the stories of a childhood, of the hard years of the Depression, and then the departure of the island's young men to fight in the Second World War. Together they bring alive the warmth and closeness of a unique Hebridean community. CROTAL AND WHITE: Finlay J Macdonald continues his story with a witty account of his adolescent years during the depression. Hard days for the villagers, but their sense of humour never deserted them. And when young Finlay won the bursary to secondary school in the Northlands it was with a mixture of joy and sadness that he prepared to leave behind him a community that would soon be changed forever. THE CORNCRAKE AND THE LYSANDER: As Finlay Macdonald set out for high school in Tarbert, Hitler's growing military strength had begun to menace the people of Europe. But to Finlay this was just one more exciting prospect along with living in Big Grandfather's house, making new friends and meeting the girls of his adolescent dreams.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #150777 in Books
• Published on: 1991-03-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 544 pages

Review
For CROWIE AND CREAM: 'Reads like poetry, evoking memories of a world all but vanished in the mists' - GLASGOW EVENING TIMES For CROTAL AND WHITE: 'An absorbing account of adolescence on the western islands' - DAILY MAIL For CORNCRAKE AND THE LYSANDER: 'Fascinating account of island life during a time of change' - DAILY TELEGRAPH

DAILY MAIL
For CROTAL AND WHITE: `An absorbing account of adolescence on the western islands'

DAILY TELEGRAPH
For CORNCRAKE AND THE LYSANDER: `Fascinating account of island life during a time of change'

Customer Reviews

Wonderful
Finlay MacDonald is a wonderful storyteller. His books should be read not only by Scots, but by people the world over. His perceptive hindsight view on his own childhood is rewarding and opens our own eyes to the world around us. The characters in his stories really come to life and their generosity, humanity and honesty could teach more than a few of us a thing or two about how we deal with others. There is a sense of sadness that life as Finlay experienced it as a young boy will probably never be the same again, but a sense of joy at being able to share in his growing up through these wonderful books.

Brilliant writing and wonderful memories
I actually reread the Finlay J MacDonald Omnibus twice as I loved the style he used to recreate the times of his youth. Being from a Scottish village in Cape Breton, Canada, I could identify with the customs and situations Finlay encountered with those seen in our own Gaelic community. I loved it and I hope many others get to enjoy it also.

Real wit, and a wonderful way with words
The omnibus edition combines Macdonald's three autobiographical works into one volume. I have only read the first, and am part way through the second. He has a wonderful way of narrating stories from his childhood in such a way that they comment on the world at present, and how we got there.

His sense of the absurd is wonderful.

A delight to read - but not so lightweight that it fails to satisfy.