Edinburgh Old Town: Journeys and Evocations - Softcover

McHardy, Stuart; Smith, Donald; Fee, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1910021563 ISBN 13: 9781910021569

Publisher: Luath Press Ltd, 2016

Synopsis

John Fee was a true storytelling artist, painting verbal pictures, setting off on digressions that turned out not to be digressions, moving effortlessly into a song or poem. He has uncovered little-known aspects of the Royal Mile along with long-forgotten characters who spring back to life through the storyteller’s art.

Following on from the acclaimed Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill volumes, this third instalment in the Journeys and Evocations series focuses on the extensive history and folklore surrounding Edinburgh’s atmospheric Old Town. Take a vivid trip with John Fee through Edinburgh’s Old Town as you’ve never seen it before, with this wonderful blend of prose, poetry, photography and incredible stories from another era of one of Edinburgh’s most renowned districts.

About this title

From the Author:

STUART McHARDY is a writer, occasional broadcaster, and storyteller. Having been actively involved in many aspects of Scottish culture throughout his adult life – music, poetry, language, history, folklore – he has been resident in Edinburgh for over a quarter of a century. Although he has held some illustrious positions including Director of the Scots Language Resource Centre in Perth and President of the Pictish Arts Society, McHardy is probably proudest of having been a member of the Vigil for a Scottish Parliament. Often to be found in the bookshops, libraries and tea-rooms of Edinburgh, he lives near the city centre with the lovely (and ever-tolerant) Sandra and they have one son, Roderick.

DONALD SMITH is the Director of Scottish International Storytelling Festival at Edinburgh’s Netherbow and a founder of the National Theatre of Scotland. For many years he was responsible for the programme of the Netherbow Theatre, producing, directing, adapting and writing professional theatre and community dramas, as well as a stream of literature and storytelling events. He has published both poetry and prose and is a founding member of Edinburgh’s Guid Crack Club. He also arranges story walks around Arthur’s Seat.

JOHN FEE was one of Edinburgh’s most accomplished and popular storytellers. Part of a well-known an Irish family, John was born and brought up in the Old Town. His early experiences of the social life and character of Old Edinburgh combined with his later passions for history, art and story to fashion a mature storytelling artist whose dry wit, melodic tenor voice, and cunning digressions kept audiences enthralled. In the last two years of his life John Fee produced written versions of his developed stories for the first time. They comprise an original and revealing insight into real lives, lived in the ancient heart of Scotland’s capital city.

Review:

Edinburgh Old Town; Journeys and Evocations is a welcome addition to the seemingly endless explorations in print of a city which continues to fascinate and inspire citizens and visitor alike, and which will doubtless appeal to both. - EDINBURGH GUIDE

About this edition

• Publisher: Luath Press Ltd
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1910021563
• ISBN 13: 9781910021569
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 128