The Unspeakable Scot
Published:1977 Edinburgh, Blackwood
The Scots, egalitarian and elitist, hard-nosed and soft-hearted, clannish and congenial, moralistic and indulgent, can be downright exasperating. They do everything to extremes. In this lively, provocative essay -- pointedly illustrated by John Mackay -- Clifford Hanley discusses their peculiarities -- the dichotomy, the antisyzygy, the Jekyll and Hyde in the Scots nature -- and answers convincingly all the whys and wherefores. The book ranges from the invasions -- the staple diet -- to the clan system -- a family business; from John Knox -- who took a teenage bride -- to Robert Burns -- who not only loved the lassies but did something about it; from 'lads of pairts' to tenement urchins. As one would expect from the author of Dancing in the Streets and The Taste of Too Much, the arguments are devastating, and humour is never lacking. The Unspeakable Scot is an entertaining lesson in understanding a highly particular people.
Copyright 2025 The Estate of Clifford Hanley