Book Description
An earth-sheltered, earth-roofed home has the least impact upon the land of all housing styles, leaving almost zero footprint on the planet.
Earth-Sheltered Houses is a practical guide for those who want to build their own underground home at moderate cost. It describes the benefits of sheltering a home with earth, including the added comfort and energy efficiency from the moderating influence of the earth on the home's temperature - keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer - low maintenance, and the protection against fire, sound, earthquake and storm afforded by the earth. Extra benefits from adding an earth or other living roof option include greater longevity of the roof substrate, fine aesthetics, and environmental harmony.
The book covers all of the various construction techniques involved including details on planning, excavation, footings, floor, walls, framing, roofing, waterproofing, insulation and drainage. Specific methods appropriate for the inexperienced owner-builder are a particular focus and include:
- pouring one's own footings and/or floor
- the use of dry-stacked (surface-bonded) concrete block walls
- post-and-beam framing
- plank-and-beam roofing, and
- drainage methods and self-adhesive waterproofing membranes.
The time-tested, easy-to-learn construction techniques described in Earth-Sheltered Houses will enable readers to embark upon their own building projects with confidence, backed up by a comprehensive resources section that lists all the latest products such as waterproofing membranes, types of rigid insulation and drainage products that will protect the building against water damage and heat loss.
Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series
Customer Reviews:
Geat book.......2007-10-02
I thought the book was a very informative and practical account as well as very well produced and edited.
Thanks!
Location, location, location.......2007-09-01
This is a great book! If you really wanted to build your own earth-sheltered home you could certainly do it using the information presented here (though a wiser course would be to pick up more sources). Thanks to this book and "The New Ecological Home", building our own home with environmentally conscious materials and possibly earth bermed or sheltered is high on our list of priorities. There is only one complaint I have about many books of this variety. They tend to cover difficulties with things like building code and location very lightly.
Building code and location are going to be huge factors in building an earth sheltered structure, especially one made with fewer traditional modern building materials. Difficulties with local regulations or inflexible inspectors/building comissions may prevent you from being able to build in the area you want. This may drive an individual to build in locations further away from urban centers where they might work. Commuting is no fun; and if you wanted to look at it from an environmental standpoint commuting a greater distance to work, grocery market or schools has just raised your carbon footprint and negated some of the savings your earth sheltered home has created.
I would highly recommend that individuals check local code thoroughly and choose a location suitable to their daily needs such as work or other social necessities before building. One need not build out of logs and plaster to have an earth sheltered home, though I understand that the point of this book is to have an affordable home and avoiding expensive modern materials. Take a bigger picture of what you are trying to accomplish; if you are purchasing this book it is somewhat safe to assume you are concerned about the environment. Please also consider materials used. Rob Roy's excellent use of modern materials such as rubber membranes and concrete block are high in initial cost to produce, environmentally speaking, but last longer and provide more benefit to long term savings such as insulative qualities and maintenance costs than lesser materials might. A lot of other earth-sheltered builders advocate natural materials to a fault, they have people using composting toilets and straw-bale homes. While effective in an environmental sense, they are not attractive to the average person. Rob Roy's book moves in a positive direction by using modern materials with environmentally conscious construction to create a home that just about anybody would like to live in.
View of things to come........2007-08-14
Rob as always has the answers to the environmental problems that we all are facing. Building youself will not only save a lot of money but give you the satisfaction of knowing what you are getting. Building underground or semi underground has made sence for eternety but we as a civilization forgot the lesons learned so long ago. Great book.
Inspires Confidence, Crystal Clear, Makes the Option Very Attractive.......2007-02-24
I went to some trouble to survey books centered on both underground or into rock dwellings, and also earth sheltered homes, and this book is the best I could find. It has proven to be everything I had hoped for.
This book deals with earth-sheltered homes, which are homes generally built on the ground, and then covered with natural dirt and growth on the roof only, or on the roof and the berms of earth piled against at least two of the sides after the fact of building.
This is a really excellent offering. 12 chapters, 4 appendices, and an annotated bibliography. A number of really nice color photographs on eight pages in the middle of the book, many black and white photos as well as really excellent understandable diagrams.
Take-aways include the need for extremely careful but not over the top load planning, radon as a factor to take seriously, and ANYONE CAN DO THIS.
The book covers waterproofing, insulation, and drainage, to include waste drainage where gravity rather than pumping is strongly recommended. It does not cover electrical and plumbing installation. It covers energy in relation to sunlight and windows and heat retention curtains, but does not include coverage of skylights (except as an energy loss factor), interior lights and other "plumbing.
The bottom line in the book is that a solid earth-sheltered house can be built for $10K to $20K inclusive of appliances, plumbing and so on, which makes it a lot cheaper and greatly more sustainable than a double-wide trailer home, and better in most respects than your average rambler.
With Peak Oil now upon on, the energy saving features of the earth-sheltered home are not to be taken lightly. The author document going without a need for heat from wood burning for almost an entire winter, and documents getting through any winter with 2-3 cords of wood. The home is cool in the summer without airconditioning, in part because of the natural respiration and evaporation of the earth roof with grass, moss, and wildflowers.
I want to end with praise for the publisher. Five or six times now I have bought boooks based on my interest in their content, only to find that New Society Publishers is the provider. They now rank with Wharton Publishing as one of my favored publishers, and I will be keeping an eye out for anything bearing their imprint.
A must have for those interested in this type of construction........2007-01-10
Mr. Roy has experience. He's built a few of these earth shelters. And, rather than telling you only how to build them, he gives you reasons why and lessons he's learned from those experiences. With an emphasis on safety, Mr. Roy explains in laymen's terms the in's and out's of earth shelters. I found this an easy and informative read which conjurs up plans and dreams for a earth sheltered house of my own.
Book Description
Many natural building methods rely upon the use of post and beam frame structures that are then in-filled with straw, cob, cordwood, or more conventional wall materials. But traditional timber framing employs the use of finely crafted jointing and wooden pegs, requiring a high degree of craftsmanship and training, as well as much time and expense. However, there is another way...
Timber Framing for the Rest of Us describes the timber framing methods used by most contractors, farmers, and owner-builders, methods that use modern metal fasteners, special screws, and common sense building principles to accomplish the same goal in much less time. And while there are many good books on traditional timber framing, this is the first to describe in depth these more common fastening methods. The book includes everything an owner-builder needs to know about building strong and beautiful structural frames from heavy timbers, including:
- the historical background of timber framing
- crucial design and structural considerations
- procuring timbers -- including different woods, and recycled materials
- foundations, roofs, and in-filling consdierations
- the common fasteners.
A detailed case study of a timber frame project from start to finish completes this practical and comprehensive guide, along with a useful appendix of span tables and a bibliography.
Highly illustrated, this book enables 'the rest of us' to build like the professionals and will appeal to owner-builders, contractors and architects alike.
Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series
Customer Reviews:
Not enough info, spam.......2007-07-12
While this book does cover the general building process, I feel it does not go into enough detail. While talking about timbers and larger pieces of wood, the charts in the end are all for regular 2x wood. There are so many references to other works where info can be found, that the whole read felt like one large advertisement (many for the author's other publications). Needs more detailed sketches, diagrams, and important detail pictures, and less useless pictures taken from too far away to be useful.
Excellent resource!.......2007-06-10
The book is very informative and helpful. Rob Roy's writing style makes it easy to follow. Not having any experience in building,(being female, that happens) I could still understand all of it, but a little background (even building a doghouse!) might have helped in truly getting the most out of the material.
Rob Roy is a powerhouse proponent for alternative building!.......2004-12-29
This book is written in a very easy to follow style. The concepts all come across as clearly and the illustations do. There is loads of informative content for the alternative builder who is concerned with incorporating natural building methods such as straw bale construction, cordwood masonry, and cob building into thier home. What makes this book stand apart from other texts on the subject is its emphasis on the use metal fasteners to achieve a strong well built frame. While most other timber framing books use joinery that requires a high degree of craftmanship this book uses simpler techniques that the non-professional can learn quickly. It is great for the "do-it-yourselfers" out there that want a book that makes sense! Highly recomended.
Some great nuggets of info but..............2004-08-22
Some great nuggets of info but fails to deliver the "How-to" that the title hints at. I was dissappointed and am now looking for a "cookbook" or "how-to" style book.
I can not recommend this book.
A superb guide for beginners.......2004-08-10
Written by an author with more than thirty years of hands-on experience with timber framing, Timber Framing For The Rest Of Us is a simple home improvement guide to basic, practical methods for timber framing used by contractors, farmers, and owner-builders today. From procuring timbers of various woods or even recycled materials, to critical considerations of structure and design , to common fasteners, a detailed case study of a timber frame project, and much more, Timber Framing For The Rest Of Us is a superb guide for beginners who are ready to roll up their sleeves, do their homework, and enjoy the fruits of their hard-earned labors.
Book Description
Cordwood masonry is an ancient building technique whereby walls are constructed from "log ends" laid transversely in the wall. It is easy, economical, esthetically striking, energy-efficient, and environmentally-sound.
Cordwood Building collects the wisdom of over 25 of the world's best practitioners, detailing the long history of the method, and demonstrating how to build a cordwood home using the latest and most up-to-date techniques, with a special focus on building code issues.
Customer Reviews:
Great book!.......2007-09-06
I'm from Germany and cordwoord buildings are uncommon here. Horizontal log homes are booming but as expensive as ordinary home building not a choice for people without a lot of money.
So cordwood may be a solution if we can get a permission with our restrictive rules and regulations here.
The book provides the builder with every detail he must know, it's really great.
For getting some practice we will start building a small shed with cordwood. ;-)
Too much froth.......2006-03-26
Too much anecdotal fluff - relates boring stories and information about people that I found irrelevant as a reader. It was irritating the way the authors kept obsessively giving compliments and acknowledgements to friends and contributors throughout the book; almost like it were a club writing the book for themselves and not for paying customers. I am instinctively suspicious of people that try to sell me things, and the fact that the authors kept making plugs and product endorsements made me doubt their credibility. Because of all the aforementioned sludge, this was a hard book to get through; I found I couldn't read it; I had to skim through it to get the useful information. Which was there, but like I said, it was to deeply buried. This book should be edited down to half its length. The book is worth checking out of the library, but probably not worth buying: 2.75 out of 5.
Great stuff.......2005-08-02
This is a great book for the alternative housing minded owner builder. Good insight and practical discussion.
great resource.......2005-07-08
My local library has a copy of Rob Roy's previous cordwood book. It is almost always checked out, and everyone I know uses it as the cordwood bible.
This book, for be has been just that. I am in the process of planning my cordwood bath house, ad everytime I find myself wondering about a step in the process or seeking a reasoning, I simply turn to this book. Every time I have a question, it has an answer! Also, it has lots of pictures which are particulaly helpful for someone as visually oriented as I am.
We love this book - We're Chapter 6 - Round w/ 16 sides! !.......2003-12-18
Rob tells our story with a wonderful craft that will help you share our building experience in 1995. We called our home Hutchnden House because it was where a Bunny (Bernice) and a Bear(David) lived for 5 wonderful years. If you buy this book and have questions about our building experience with a hexadecagon, email us at fraser@terracom.ca and we would be happy to help in any way we can. Since our building in 1995 Bunny has designed several homes, one, a single story 1600 sq ft. beauty is fantastic. Thank you Rob and Jaki for your inspiration and encouragement. Bunny and Bear
Amazon.com
This novel, first published in 1817, achieved a huge success and helped establish the historical novel as a literary form. In rich prose and vivid description,
Rob Roy follows the adventures of a businessman's son, Frank Osbaldistone, who is sent to Scotland and finds himself drawn to the powerful, enigmatic figure of Rob Roy MacGregor, the romantic outlaw who fights for justice and dignity for the Scots. This is an incomparable portrait of the haunted Highlands and Scotland's glorious past.
Book Description
First published in 1817, Rob Roy was not only a resounding success but also one of the first historical novels of its time. Full of swashbuckling action and intrigue, it tells the story of Frank Osbaldistone, the son of a wealthy British businessman, who travels to Scotland, where he is drawn into the lawless world of the fiercely noble outlaw Robert Roy MacGregor. Osbaldistone and Rob Roy, along with the witty Diane Vernon, embark on numerous adventures during the height of the Jacobite uprising. With sweeping descriptions of Scottish landscapes and vivid characterizations, Rob Roy is an epic tale of heroism set against the backdrop of true Scottish history.
Customer Reviews:
Beware of the title.......2006-05-21
Young Francis Osbaldistone's destiny seems to have been ordained by his father - after spending time in France, he is due to be initiated into the world of trade and finance. This future though is not to Francis's taste, and after a period of protest he is instead carted off to his uncle's estate in Northumberland, near to the Scottish border. His uncle's family are a strange lot. Francis takes an immediate dislike to his scheming cousin Rashleigh, but his is more enamoured of Diana Vernon, who is staying on the estate. Soon Francis becomes embroiled in the ferment leading up to the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715.
I can't say that I've ever been too convinced by Scott - it's difficult to see, from this distance in time, why he was so popular. Perhaps it was because his subject matter was original for the time. In truth, "Rob Roy" is a very uneven novel, in large parts very laboured - as if Scott was struggling to find a way of developing the plot.
For those attracted by the title and expecting a rip-roaring tale of Highland derring-do, beware. Rob Roy himself does not feature very much in the novel until well after halfway. It's true that Scott picks up the rather laboured pace of the book in its last third, but that makes the ending feel hurried, and contributes to the feeling that the novel does not hang together satisfactorily.
Another warning is that a lot of the dialogue is rendered in Scottish dialect - so ye hae bin warrnt!
G Rodgers
Don't expect too much.......2006-02-15
Rob Roy isn't my favorite Scott. I suspect he planned a different novel and it didn't go the way intended. This is fine, if you've enjoyed Waverley, Ivanhoe, even The Fortunes of Nigel. That's the time to pick this one up. Don't judge Scott, who can be funny, romantic and witty, by this rather sluggish tale which is light on Rob Roy. If you want to enjoy a good Rob Roy story, watch the movie. By far and away the best Tartan-ripper of recent times and historically a lot more accurate than Braveheart.
Boring and confusing.......2005-02-28
I have derived many hours of pleasure from this author. My favorite is Ivanhoe. I wouldn't recommend this one, though. It is boring and confusing.
Another worthwhile historical classic.......2003-08-31
This was my first exposure to Sir Walter Scott and his concept of a historical novel. While it was enjoyable, it would have been easier to appreciate if I had read Ivanhoe first. Rob Roy is a difficult book to read and it does require some patience. The Scottish language and customs can be difficult to get through and it does start a bit slow. If you have already read Ivanhoe, this will be a bit more challenging, but definitely worthwhile. Once you get into it and the action picks up a bit and the characters have all been established, it flows much more quickly. Scott's work seems to have a pattern of establishing the characters and setting first and extensively before getting into the flow of the plot. I think this makes his books slow to get into but ultimately fun to finish.
Quaint Story of a Bohemian and his Guardian Angel.......2002-07-10
Francis Osbaldistone forgoes a position in his father's firm to pursue an existence closer to his own ideals, travel and adventure. In order to even maintain a sufficent income from his father, however, he is sent on an errand to visit relatives in Northern England, and there to locate a replacement for himself in his father's firm from amongst his cousins. Due to a mishap on the road there, however, Francis is cast into a difficult legal situation and quickly learns that there are political and passionate motives behind his being unjustly accused.
This book really reads almost as if it it two different novels. The first half of the book concerns the time that Francis spends at Osbaldistone hall, where he learns that there are undisclosed secrets, some of which implicate him without his knowledge. It is also here that he falls head over heels in love with an unattainable woman. The tension that these scenes create is palpable and enjoyable. Scott is wonderful with English dialogue and his description of the English countryside, its inhabitants, and the activities that consume their day to day existence.
Somewhere along the way, however, the book shifts gears rather dramatically, merely echoing its previous sentimentality and thought. The book becomes more active and more of a travel narrative in Scotland, where a good deal of lawlessness occurs in the hills. Here you'll find the title elusive title character embroiled in his own local political intrigues while also endeavoring to support Francis in his own quest.
Scottish dialect, while faithfully recorded, makes the reading difficult, and at some times arduous. I did find, though, that if you read these phonetically, that you quickly attain the language necessary to follow along. Take the time up front to figure out the Scottish translations and you'll be better suited when it becomes a large part of the latter half of the book.
All in all, I found this to be quite an enjoyable read, although not on the same level as "Ivanhoe," which I think is superior in just about every way. If you've already read "Ivanhoe," and enjoyed it, you will probably like this book as well. I could have potentially given this book 5 stars if I felt that if the protagonist did not have to shift gears so suddenly.
Book Description
"According to Roy, underground or `earth-sheltered' houses are unexpectedly livable. Judging by his book's attractive pictures, that's easy to believe. The house he bases his point-by-point guide on is indeed a showplace. Its homey touches are just that, though, and Roy's main concern is creating such a house, from drawing up the plans to surveying the site to the actual building. Roy's instruction is insightful and comprehensive....Throughout, he covers construction and installation details that are extremely important for nonprofessionals brave enough to undertake building their own homes."--Booklist. 148 pages, 40 color illus., 130 b/w illus., 8 x 10
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2005-10-19
The book gives great details and ideas on building an earth sheltered home from site prep to actual construction. Some of the information is a little out of date but none the less this is a great book and i would recomend it to anyone intrested in earth sheltered or earth bermed homes.
Tasteless Architecture!?.......2002-12-17
There is lots of good stuff on building underground in this book, but whoever designed some of the homes shown inside has no taste when it comes to architecture, so unfortunately I can see a few people being turned off by some the photos, and deciding not to build underground. There are more in depth books on building underground, so don't just use this one book to build your underground home with.
Great ideas, beautiful pictures, simple advice.......2002-10-18
If you like underground houses, then you should appreciate the images and plans here. However, the 'how-to' part is very general so unless you know your house building, this book will not help you much in the practical issues of home creation. It will give you ideas and suggestions that you can then use to find a good contractor and keep your eyes on the company you hire. It is very difficult to find books about underground or even earth beamed houses now, which is sad because they can be very energy effecient and lovely. This is a good start and Rob Roy is well-known for his work and his workshops on home building.
Rob did it again!.......2002-04-11
Once again Rob Roy has succeded in producing a quality how to book! This book gives clear concise intructions for every phase of building an underground house. This book covers everything from ground breaking (even a few tips on ground aquiring) to earth sheltering! Foundations, walls, roof and support structure, hvac, waterproofing, insulation, everything! It is accurate, well written, anecdotal and user friendly! I have every confidence that anyone interested in the subject of underground housing will benefit greatly from the ownership of this book. Buy the book and start digging!
The title is inaccurate but the book has good content........2001-06-02
The secondary title is much more accurate: "How to Build a Low-Cost Home." The author has great experience constructing earth-sheltered homes. This means digging a hole on flat property, building a box in the hole and piling dirt up against the walls. Mr. Roy gives detailed examples of how a sod roof should be constructed, and what problems to watch out for. In this way, it is like an episode of "This Old House" because you get to see the intimate details of the building construction. The book certainly lives up to the "low-cost" title, because the properties developed in the book were completed by young middle-class owners who could not afford to take out bank loans and mortgages. The author has built many earth-sheltered homes of this sort and even teaches others how to do it professionally. On that note, the book comes from a smart and well-qualified author. Just don't be fooled by the title given by the publishing company
Average customer rating:
|
Human Performance: Cognition, Stress and Individual Differences
Gerald Matthews ,
D. Roy Davies ,
Stephen J. Westerman , and
Rob B. Stammers
Manufacturer: Psychology Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Personality
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Cognitive
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Neuroscience
| Neurology
| Internal Medicine
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
Cognitive Psychology
| Behavioral Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Cognitive Science
| Behavioral Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Neuroscience
| Neurology
| Internal Medicine
| Medicine
| Medical
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Cognitive Psychology
| Behavioral Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Behavioral Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Medicine
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0415044073 |
Book Description
Human Performance provides the student and researcher with a comprehensive and accessible review of both performance in the real world, and essential cognitive science theory.
Human Performance has four main sections that cover both theoretical and practical issues:
· Section One outlines the perspective on performance offered by contemporary cognitive science, including information processing and neuroscience perspectives.
· Section Two presents a multi-leveled view of the performer as biological organism, information-processor and intentional agent. It reviews the development of the cognitive theory of performance through experimental studies and also looks at practical issues such as human error.
· Section Three reviews the impact of stress factors on performance such as noise, fatigue and illness.
· Section Four assesses individual and group differences in performance with accounts of ability, personality and aging.
Customer Reviews:
How England Absorbed Scotland by creating the United Kingdom.......2007-09-03
This this the third of four volumes written by Sir Walter Scott as a history of Scotland for children, very intelligent children be it said! It covers the years 1658 (death of Oliver Cromwell) to 1714 (death year of the last de facto Stuart Monarch, Queen Anne).
What sense is the obscure volume title, "FROM GLENCOE TO STIRLING" meant to evoke? No problem with GLENCOE: at that starkly beautiful MacDonalds' site in the western highlands, 38 men, women and children were massacred by Scottish troops in the dead of winter 1792. 150 more men, along with women and children succeeded in fleeing through the snow to shelter 12 miles away. The treacherous order to slaughter every man, woman and child below 70 years old was approved by King William III. Scotland to this day has not forgiven that otherwise enlightened monarch. Why Stirling appears in the title I am not sure.
Volume three of TALES OF A SCOTTISH GRANDFATHER is close to indispensable companion reading for six Walter Scott novels set in the years 1658 - 1714: WOODSTOCK, THE TALE OF OLD MORTALITY, PEVERIL OF THE PEAK, THE PIRATE, THE BRIDE OF LAMMERMOOR and THE BLACK DWARF. Some of these romances are more political than others, but the dynastic struggles form the backdrop for all.
The most biting part of Scott's narrative describes the formation of the United Kingdom in 1707. At a time when two actions of King William III (the massacre at Glencoe and his opposition to Scottish colonization of the Isthmus of Panama) had inflamed Scotland against England, English commercial interests were forced to decide between resumption of unending centuries of war with Scotland or assuring permanent peace by absorbing their smaller northern neighbor, more or less willingly. Which alternative would cost England less money? At a time when probably 95% of Scots were passionately against the Union, it was nonetheless negotiated in late 1706 and finally agreed to by the Scottish parliament. The United Kingdom opened shop in May 1707 -- on very unequal terms for Scotland. Bribes and payoffs to the Scottish negotiators and members of Parliament produced the needed votes.
According to Walter Scott, the very unfair terms of the treaty of union, combined with popular detestation of all those bribed to sell Scotland's ancient national independence, gave Scotland sixty more years of avoidable turmoil and humiliation. Then at last, with the coming of King George III, the Union began to give Scotland those commercial benefits that had been promised.
Meanwhile there was the Old Pretender's rising of 1707-08 and the political uncertainty who would succeed Queen Anne as she approached death in 1714. -OOO-
Book Description
Rob Roy MacGregor, Scotland’s most romantic, elusive hero, was an outlaw and a life-long enemy of Montrose. So well-known was he that no one thought to write down a physical description of him, or any direct record of his childhood and youth. Thus tracking down Rob Roy today is to embark upon a painstaking search through archives, estate records and folk myths, enriched and confused by the romantic yarns that have grown up around him.
W. H. Murray brings together new interpretations of Rob Roy’s life and times to produce a new understanding of the character, actions and motives of a man who became a myth and symbol of Scotland. Murray shows that Rob Roy’s renown stems from his remarkable force of character, rather than his politics or his place in the writings of Sir Walter Scott. His political mission outwardly failed, but his extraordinary resolution in adversity has earned him his place in history and legend.
Customer Reviews:
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!.......2006-08-17
Murray does a great job of telling us about the true Rob Roy MacGregor (versus the tarted up Sir Walter F. Scott rendition to quote an English friend friend of mine)! Murray explains clearly the politics of the time in England, and the Lowlands and Highlands of Scotland: Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism); the Whigs and the Torys; etc. He gives a vivid depiction of the Highland way of life from the daily routine to engaging in commerce amongst local Highland clans, the Lowlanders, and England. Let's not forget "abduction" of live-stock for which Rob Roy in particular was well-noted. There is even information on the materials used in the dying of kilt and tartan plaids. The impression one gets is that if the Highlanders were left alone to continue their way of life, who knows how wonderfully it would have evolved and what contributions they could have made to the world. Murray is given extra credit here because he had to re-start this writing while in a Nazi POW camp. A must read for all who are interested in all things Scottish!
Excellent, in-depth work.......2000-02-24
A fascinating biography. This book inspired the film with Liam Neeson, but is so much more than a glimpse of the incidents chronicled in the film. W.H. Murray has given a well-researched, well-documented look at highland life that enables the reader to step into the shoes (or lack thereof) of the Scottish highlander. Everything from the clan structure, rivalries, English oppression, how to carry a handful of oats dipped in a stream for daily ration; it's all there. Mr. Murray gives us very detailed information on the subtleties of the constantly changing political climate and the MacGregor's sense of injustice.
This book is a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in Scotland, the MacGregor Clan, or Rob Roy himself.
Dipping into History.......1999-12-29
This is a book for a scholar or a person dipping into Scottish history for the first time. An excellent book about Highlanders and there are precious few books available on the topic. The author has considered vast quanitities of sources; the only books lacking are Gaelic language sources such as those bilingual editions published by the Scottish Academic Texts Society. The author shows a broad understanding of the politics and economics of the period; what is unique is an attempt to understand Gaelic society. The "creach" or cattle raid is explained from a Highland point of view; it's a custom sanctified in the great Gaelic epic "Táin Bó Cuailgne". The format is very appealing as historical events are related to the colourful life of this one honourable man.
Excellent, accessible and fascinating history.......1999-04-21
This is an elegantly written, thorough, balanced and fascinating account of a deservedly highly admired man.
The author provides a comprehensive historic and social background and a detailed biography. Real history, not the current hip Celtic fashion or Braveheart drivel.
I found the book moving and inspiring. A picture of an honourable, intelligent and courageous man, living his life by the laws of his time; a man who deserves to be remembered.
The film Rob Roy with Liam Neeson, runs amazingly close to this book. If you were inspired by the film, I think you will greatly enjoy this biography.
I'd also recommend John Prebble for his classic works on Culloden and Glencoe and the Highland Clearances.
Customer Reviews:
Views by a MacGregor.......2000-05-17
Being a MacGregor myself I was interested in these books purely to see if they were entirely fiction or based on fact. What I found was three books of excellent quality which grip the reader and mkae you forget everything else. Trantor has produced some of the best Scottish fiction I have ever read and the way he endears you to the characters in these books is subtle yet intoxicating. The third book has made me realise that Trantor knows more about the clan than I first thought, he mixes fact with fiction and I believe that somewhere off the West caost of Scotland there is a ship or caches of gold hidden from the English. These are a must read for any true MacGregor or patriotic Scotsman who wishes to know just that little bit more about our countries history.
Average customer rating:
|
Rob Roy
Sir Walter Scott
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Scott, Sir Walter
| ( S )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0543899403
Release Date: 2000-11-16 |
Books:
- Evelina (Oxford World's Classics)
- Financial Markets and Institutions (5th Edition) (Addison-Wesley Series in Finance)
- First Aid for the Pediatric Boards
- Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 4)
- Four Plays: The Bald Soprano; The Lesson; Jack, or the Submission; The Chairs
- Free Fall (Revenge of the Sisterhood (Hardcover))
- Green Eggs and Ham and Other Servings of Dr. Seuss
- Hamlet (Folger Shakespeare Library)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Inside Mexico: Living, Traveling, and Doing Business in a Changing Society
- Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars, Book III
- Business Heroes: Making Business Renewal You Personal Crusade
- America's Financial Reckoning Day: How you can survive Americas monetary & political decline in
- Costume Design
- Four branches of the Mabinogion: In a complete boxed set
- By the Light of the Glow-Worm Lamp: Three Centuries of Reflections on Nature
- Kirschner's Insurance Directory: Michigan 2002
- A White-Collar Profession: African American Certified Public Accountants since 1921
- 1999 North Dakota Business Directory: The Ultimate Sales and Credit Tool
Underground Homes
The Fifty Dollar and Up Underground House Book
Underground Buildings: More Than Meets the Eye
Earth Shelter Technology
Earth sheltered housing design: Guidelines, examples, and references
