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This is Finlay J Macdonald's charming, nostalgic and often hilarious account of a childhood spent in Harris in the years after the First War. Peopled with characters like Great Aunt Rachel, 'built like a Churchill tank and with a personality to match'. This is the story of the Macdonald's home-made home where the author's mother spun wool for Harris tweed while his father tilled their thirteen acres and tended the livestock, and of the young Finlay growing up in the warmth and closeness of a unique Herbridean community.

This was a really fascinating book and beautifully written. At times I wondered about his age but when he revealed he was starting school for the first time I was surprised as he seemed older at times. However a 5-year-old being left to wander around a small village on the Isle of Harris is no doubt much safer than the same 5-year-old wandering round the streets of a town today – unless you have a friend called Molly! It is a very descriptive narrative and having visited both blackhouses and white houses this week, it was easy to picture. I thoroughly enjoyed these tales of a bygone era especially when going to a roup was mentioned. I spent my summer holidays on a farm in the north east of Scotland. My parents loved going to roups and I’ve got to say I loved it too. Maybe that is where I go my love for antiques and auctions but a roup can’t compare.

Having spoken to a young girl waitressing in Tarbert, she advised me that there was a BBC adaptation of this book and she was the baby crying the church. I must watch out for this as if it’s half as good as the book, it will be very enjoyable.

ETA - Unfortunately this was on TV in 2008 and is no longer available on iPlayer.

ETA – I had my first taste of crowdie when I saw it on the shelf of a local shop while on my travels. It is like cottage cheese and very enjoyable on crackers.

I plan to leave this near Scarista where the author lived.

I found this book at Croft 36, Northton on the Isle of Harris in August 2021 when on holiday. Brilliant place to leave it, thank you, though I didn't realise the significance at the time. And I wish I had started to read it there and then, as it was obviously relevant to our location. Thoroughly enjoyed it, couldn't put it down, so good I read it twice, then my husband, not usually into fiction, read it on the pretext of its social history. Prompted me to get the sequel 'Crotal and White' which I have just finished. Now I need to see the video!