Scotland the Brief

Preface

During the Scottish Parliament's winter recess of 2007-8, I found myself under way throughout West Europe, explaining what was happening to Catalans, French and Germans, and in the longueurs of airport lounges and much more enjoyably on high-speed trains, tried to write a short history of Scotland which conveys the germ of the countrys career. It stemmed from my realisation as an MSP that not enough had been done to make young people, and indeed the public in general, aware of the basic facts and structure of their countrys history. So its meant to be read by those coming to it for the first time. Scottish history as a segment of British history suffers from the anglocentricity of 'popular accounts' such as Simon Schama's History of Britain, 2000-2002, sponsored by the BBC, to the degree that you cant reconstruct a believable Scotland from it, let alone relate the country to great historical, economic and cultural movements which swept over the world. I was a contributor to the very successful Oxford History of Britain (1983) and would have to agree that this also applies to it, though not in so extreme a form.

have tried to give a robust, well-documented account, with an easily accessible bookstore. Depending on reaction to the online version, further guides to illustrative material and historical sites will follow, and a version adapted to use in schools, particularly at the juncture between primary and secondary education. But the essential qualification is that the book be compact, which at 16,771 words I hope it is.