Folklore Books

Everybody has encountered folklore, although perhaps not in an immediately recognisable form. Folk songs, folk history, anecdotes, popular history; all can be included in the folklore umbrella. I have written three books that can be classified as folklore:

SIXPENCE FOR THE WIND: A knot of nautical folklore

(Whittles 1999)

Scottish Animal and Bird Folklore

(St Andrew Press, 1996)

 The animals and birds of Scotland each have their own stories and histories.  Some birds are noted for being lucky, some quite the reverse; add the monsters, ghostly dogs, wyvers and other strange creatures and you have the basis for this book. My personal favourite remains the oystercatcher, that black and white bird of the shore that helped guide St Bride... This book was selected for the 1996 Scottish Book Fortnight

 Scottish Myths and Legends

(Chambers, 1992)

For a small country, Scotland has a wealth of myths and legends. Here are some of the most prevalent, including stories of the Jacobites, the royals and the supernatural...