Glencoe: The Story of the Massacre

As a Scot (Lowland) I all but grew up with the tale of the Glencoe massacre. I have driven through this mystical glen a few times in the past, in summer as well as early Spring. Thus, the places mentioned are known to me and I can identify with easily. This book goes into great detail, delving into the past history of some of the clans and excellent bio-sketches of the main players in this drama. At the start, I wondered why the author felt compelled to give his readers so much background info., but as the tales unfolded, it all made sense, in as much as it was necessary to understand some of the motivations behind the dark deed. These Highlanders of that time were far from saints and ultimately, imho, it was imperative that the Highlands had to be pacified. The means were of course highly questionable judged from over 300 years down the line, and the ruthless killings unnecessary. To sum up, this must be, surely, the definitive account of the Glencoe murders. (The attached photo was taken by me in the 70's, showing Glenachulish, close to Ballachulish, mentioned frequently in the book).

A very moving examination of this terrible period of history. Thoughtful, engaging and memorable.

beautifully written account of an area of history I knew nothing about. Enough details about the personalities involved to bring it to life and understandable.

Great book.

Well written; excellent overview of fascinating part of Scotlands history.