20 September 2020

Review

Neil Oliver is a Scottish  academic and TV presenter. He specialises in matters archaeological and historical and is passionate about both. His interest in the past can be quite infectious.

A couple of days ago I finished his four hundred page book "The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places". As the title perhaps suggests, each of the hundred chapters focuses on a different location in order to colour in the long history of this amazing archipelago on the edge of Europe.

Neil Oliver's style of writing is accessible, intimate and bubbles with enthusiasm for matters historical. Each time I picked up the book it was with a sense of eager anticipation. Turning the pages was never a chore.

However, I wish that the book's title has been "My Story of the British Isles in 100 Places" and not "The Story". I say that because there was a distinct bias towards Scottish locations and even in several of the chapters that were ostensibly focused on English, Welsh or Irish places the author often couldn't stop himself from weaving in Scottish connections.

Of the hundred "places", twenty two were in Scotland and only five in Yorkshire - even though Yorkshire has a larger population. And there were only eight chapters that focused upon Irish locations. I accept that Neil Oliver is a proud Scotsman but as a historian his nationalism ought to have been put aside - unless the book was to be titled "My Story..."  or perhaps it might have had an introduction in which the Caledonian bias was acknowledged.

There isn't a chapter on the historically important city of York or chapters on northern England's great industrial cities like Bradford, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield. Queen Victoria is only mentioned in passing. Perhaps there could have been a chapter devoted to Windsor Castle. Britain's second city - Birmingham is also bypassed. And what about The Beatles' Liverpool? What about Stratford-upon-Avon? What about Sir Frank Whittle - inventor of the jet engine or Emily Pankhurst or The Jarrow Crusade? What about Epworth near Doncaster where Methodism was born?

Even the cover of "The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places" is biased towards Scotland. We are looking at an illustrated map of  these islands but it is Scotland that takes centre stage. That cannot be  co-incidental.

I was very involved with the book as I read it and I guess that if you are Scottish or have Scottish ancestry you will enjoy it even more than I did. It taught me many things and gave me much food for thought.

Neil Oliver

20 comments:

  1. Thank you for this review. As you say, the title or at least a preface should have given fair warning that the book is less about the British Isles as a whole and more about Scotland in particular. Still, it sounds like a very enjoyable read, and would be even more so if the reader had an idea of what to expect.

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    1. My friend Tony lent me the book and deliberately didn't forewarn me about the Scottish bias but as it happens I now discover that it had irritated him too.

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  2. I see your point and it does seem the title should have been different as it is a bit misleading. It sounds like a good book but I do hate it when I feel misled about a book I bought expecting one thing and finding something a bit different.

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  3. The dishy archaeologist flouncing around with his long hair ;) I should not be cruel, but he is doing a Neil Macgregor, a 'History of a Hundred things' fill in the space. Give him his due, it is hard to actually write one book on our history, and Scotland is a bit sparse on people and hitory but is a beautiful country and he is happiest there.

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    1. edit; history of course.

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    2. Hitory is when you get a stout stick and whack your neighbours!

      It is a well-researched book in which history is rich and vibrant. I do applaud Neil Oliver in spite of my one misgiving. By the way, I do not find him "dishy"!

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  4. He looks like he should be in a Prog Rock band. Shouldn't we all?

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    1. The Archaeologists would have made a great name for a prog rock band. You could have been our roadie.

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  5. You'll have to write your own. Pick a title that makes it sounds as if it's about vegan cookery, and then just write about walks - e.g. Vegan Bakewell Tart: I love Bakewell Tart but have also been on some stunning walks around Bakewell ... Take Monsal Dale for example ....

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    1. Oh aye Tasker. On a clear day, the view from Monsal Head must be one of the very best views in England.

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  6. Oliver had a different way of presenting the history and archeology and you admit that it was interesting. He could possibly rectify the balance by writing on another 100 places.

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    1. Good idea - and miss out all references to Scotland.

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  7. Lots of blog fodder for you - you can tell us all about the places he missed?

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    1. Are you suggesting that I am equine or bovine Joyce?

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  8. That's interesting...I wonder if he consciously set out to write a book that emphasized Scotland or if it was merely a product of his awareness, influenced by his nationality? I think you should write a Yorkshire supplement!

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    1. Although if there were 100 places and 22 were in Scotland, that doesn't seem like SUCH a huge bias -- less than a quarter of the whole.

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    2. The current population of England is 56 million. The population of Scotland is around 5.2 million. The island of Ireland is home to around 6.8 million. Wales has a population of 3.3 million. When you look at it like that the Scottish bias is clearer.

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    3. But are "places" population-based? Or are they a product of geography, of land area? What percentage of Britain is Scottish in terms of square mileage?

      (I'm just being devil's advocate here -- I have no dog in this fight at all. :) )

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    4. Have you got a kilt Steve? The Reed (or Reid) tartan is very smart.

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