An Innocent in Scotland: More Curious Rambles and Singular Encounters

by David W. McFadden

In 1995, David W. McFadden published An Innocent in Curious Rambles and Singular Encounters , a quirky and affectionate account of his travels around Ireland. In undertaking the trip, he chose as his guide H. V. Morton, the prolific travel writer of the 1920s and 1930s, whose In Search of Ireland (part of Morton’s famous In Search of ... series) had been familiar to him since childhood.

Now, setting out to explore Scotland, his family’s ancestral home, McFadden plans to use the same to follow Morton’s route around the country, observing how things have changed and in what ways they remain the same. As in An Innocent in Ireland , however, his own inquiring mind and engaging personality take over, and Morton appears less and less as McFadden becomes increasingly absorbed by the landscape – and particularly by the people.

Starting in the Lowlands, he travels through Burns country (examining verses that Burns is alleged to have inscribed on a Dumfries window with his diamond ring) and up the east coast to the Highlands. There he lingers by Loch Ness (spotting nothing but tourists), before heading over to the west coast and falling in love with it – particularly with the islands of Mull and Iona. Through the entire trip, McFadden charts an erratic course, led only by H. V. Morton and his own acute eye and very lively curiosity. As he does so, he records his extremely personal impressions, which are wry, amused – and often more astute than he lets on.

The reader won’t find many of the traditional Scottish tourist sites in this account. Rather, as in An Innocent in Ireland , McFadden loves a good chat, and he wisely lets the many characters he meets speak for themselves. He gives generous attention to a variety of talkative barmen, hoteliers, shopkeepers, as well as to passersby that he encounters in the course of his travels. Their conversations, ranging from the instructive or humorous to the eccentric and even surreal, give a thoroughly entertaining view of a Scotland the guidebooks never reveal.

Still quirky, affectionate, always ready to be intrigued or amused, David McFadden makes an ideal companion for any armchair traveller.

Genres: Travel, Scotland, Nonfiction

346 pages, Paperback

First published April 17, 1999

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

David William McFadden was a Canadian poet, fiction writer, and travel writer. The author of 35 books of poetry, fiction and travel writing, McFadden started publishing poetry in 1958 and has been previously shortlisted for the 2008 Griffin Poetry Prize, as well as for three Governor General's Awards. He won the 2013 Griffin Poetry Prize for his collection What's the Score?

Reviews

[NK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I had problems reading through the Scottish accents written into the book, each time the author encountered a local. After getting used to that or reading through it, I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the land and places of antiquity in Scotland. This is a travelogue and part genealogy search of the authors roots. The descriptions of Scotland paint mystic beauty. Unfortunately, the descriptions of the locals paint a picture of rudeness and hatred of anything "foreign", especially tourists.

[Nadine Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admiring an author does not mean I would necessarily have the privilege of being their friend. I am sure there are many writers I would not like, were I to meet them in person. And they, in turn, might be equally unimpressed by me. But, forgive me, whenever I read a book by the late, great David McFadden, I wish I had known him personally. I wish I had the opportunity to share a pint and a chin wag with him . This delightful travelogue, gifted to me by a thoughtful friend, is pure solace. The author, alas, is no longer with us, but his legacy carries on in his marvelous books. This is not a "conventional" travel book but it is, that rare entity for the genre, a timeless one. Most travel books date themselves shortly after publication. An Innocent in Scotland, conversely, could be read 50 years from now and would retain its relevance. The author provides compelling, thoughtful descriptions of Scottish Highlands and ancient cairns (McFadden was an extraordinary poet, one of the world's finest) punctuated with insouciant descriptions of interactions with various local denizens. The only downside, if there is a downside, is that one wishes one could have shared these explorations in the company of the author. Fortunately, he gave us the next best thing, his voice, his wit, his sensitivity, his sparkling intelligence, and his keen eye for detail. Whether you fancy yourself arm chair traveler or real life jetsetter, this book is a companionable read.

[Heep · Rating 2 out of 5]

Travel books become dated rather quickly as locations change and popular interst varies. Twenty years is a bad age for such a guide. A generation has passed. The travel industry has been stood on its ear by the internet. This book is not old enough to be antique - quaintly painting a picture of a lost era, or placing a locale, its people and culture in historic context. Nor is it current enough to be particularly useful. The chatty tone and excessive focus on the mundane makes it worse. It just wasn't what I was looking for in preparation of my trip to Scotland.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book consistently held my interest through the final chapter - recommended.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed bag. Writing was wonderful and really gives readers a sound sense of Scotland’s history, geography and culture. Great and interesting way to introduce a country. However, I found the author’s anecdotes to be sexist and mean-spirited in addition to being totally unnecessary to the content. Definitely worth the read if you can tolerate occasional self serving nonsense.

[Susan Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the second of David McFadden's homages to travel writer H.V.Morton, the author enlightens with his encounters with Scots and his fellow travellers and communes with the imagined inhabitants of Scotland's ancient, often sacred, sites.

[Joy E. Rancatore · Rating 4 out of 5]

David McFadden whisks readers along on a conversational tour of Scotland in An Innocent in Scotland. I loved the way he spun his tales in a big arc around the entire country, painting vibrant scenes and landscapes along the way.

Some of the anecdotes he relates makes me question if he is just great at embellishing and developing shocking and memorable characters to keep readers' attention in a travel book or if he may be stretching the ethics of what a writer should and should not share with the world. He certainly is a literary sketch artist, giving a life-like rendering of the companions and guides he meets along the way with descriptions such as "His face is a little baked apple...." (218)

I especially appreciated the detailed accounts and descriptions of my great-grandfather's home, Dumfries. Until I can find a way to don my gray sneakers and fly to the "home" country that mysteriously calls to me like the haunting cry of the bagpipes across the highlands, I can content myself with the vivid mental picture I have of "the old town of Dumfries" along the River Nith with its medieval spires standing proud and tall.

"When you are lost, you need not stay lost long: Whenever there is a choice between two different paths or roads, you merely follow the one that is more heavily trod or better paved, and you'll soon be found." (285)

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was totally unfamiliar with this Canadian poet/travel writer, whose travel books are in the tradition of Paul Theroux. This is pleasant armchair travel. McFadden took a month to follow the same path that H.V. Morton, another writer I'd never heard of, took around Scotland in the 1920s. Witten in 1999 it contains no practical information for other travelers. Rather, it mostly s reflects on people McFadden met in pubs or while trying to find remnants of kin who did not emigrate to Canada when his direct ancestors did.

[Suzie Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

David McFadden's travels in Scotland are beautifully detailed in "An Innocent in Scotland". Even more colorful than his descriptions of the Scottish country side are the characters her meets along the way. These are the type of people one can't create; there are fisherman,tour guides, seasoned and rookie tourists, farmers, xenophobic and welcoming locals -- the list goes on. Wonderfully done, Mr. McFadden!

[Maggieb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book charming. The most interesting to me, were the accounts of the author's encounters with other travellers. He presented them in a very humorous fashion, yet refrained from making judgements on them, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions, only hinting with his manner of writing what he really thought.