John Norman Stuart Buchan, Baron Tweedsmuir (1911–1996)

The Country Life Picture Book series consists of several volumes of photographs focusing on England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The present volume on Scotland includes nearly 116 pages of color photos of landscapes, craggy seacoasts, glens, lakes, castles, farms, and ruins. Cities are excluded and very few of the photos include people. The overwhelming impression is of a magnificent land of forbidding, stark beauty and deep history. The photographs are of good quality, and generally are reproduced within the bounds of acceptable clarity. Their color is also well- rendered (something not always the case in books of the 1970s). Accompanying captions are quite informative, although moreso to one familiar with Scottish history than to the neophyte reviewer, who lacks context and familiarity with the cited names and events.

A seven page introduction is entitled "Scotland: A Personal View." Although it and the book itself are simply attributed to "Lord Tweedsmuir," its author is John Norman Stuart Buchan (son of the famous author John Buchan, who previously held that title). Photography is attributed to WF Davidson and R Thomlinson.

If one goal of this book is to make the reader eager to visit Scotland, it certainly succeeds.… (mer)