Ciaran Folan Rated 4 out of 5 Mac Black has woven an intriguing tale out of a visit to the stuff in the loft. Where else in the home has such stories to tell? There is plenty of humour in the interaction between family members, and also pathos in a few of the other lives in this Scottish family history. So this book can be read on different levels. And the wee village of Aberloudie wraps its dignity round it’s knees. I particularly liked the the pace with which we are led in successive chapters through parallel lives, and it’s intriguing to discover where they lead. Hamish’s marriage failure because his ship riveter’s deafness defies knowing whether he ever really agreed to marry is to me the saddest of the pathos.
Some of the chapters describe tragic wartime events and I found these stories enjoyable, because they are emotional, but in no time you are back among the family banter; a good combination, and very smoothly done. There are some memorable gags, for me, where the pugnacious father first tries negotiation to get rid of the daughter’s boyfriend, whose motives he suspects, by offering him his expensive set of golf clubs, and the lad wants to know if the balls and tees might be included!!