Riddoch on the Outer Hebrides

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About the Book: 

Riddoch on the Outer Hebrides is a thought-provoking commentary based on broadcaster Lesley Riddoch's cycle journey through a beautiful island chain facing seismic cultural and economic change. Her experience is described in a typically affectionate but hard-hitting style; with humour, anecdote and a growing sympathy for islanders tired of living at the margins but fearful of closer contact with mainland Scotland.

In this new updated edition, Lesley Riddoch examines changes in the island communities she visited since her first journey 15 years ago.

Reviews: 

... the same charm that great orators and generals have demonstrated, the kind of charm that Wallace and De Moray led the armies with, the kind of sweet-talk that could persuade Inuits to buy freezers. THE STORNOWAY GAZETTE

Congratulations on a thoughtful, timely and wonderfully contentious commentary on Scotland's dysfunctional relationship with 21st century Gaeldom. It is well informed, well observed, provocative, hard-headed, wrong-headed and inspired in equal measure and opens up a whole new level of engagement with 'the Gaelic issue'. MALCOM MACLEAN, Gaelic Arts Agency

Let's be proud of standing on the outer edge of a crazy mainstream world - When the centre collapses, the periphery becomes central. ALISTAIR MACINTOSH

Chatty without being oppressive and informed without being lecturing, Riddoch's style nicely brings home the beauty of the islands and the charm of those who live there. THE HERALD

About the Author:

LESLEY RIDDOCH is an award-winning broadcaster, writer, journalist, independence campaigner and land reform activist. She writes weekly columns for The National and is a contributor to The Guardian, BBC Question Time, Scotland Tonight and Any Questions. She is founder and Director of Nordic Horizons, a policy group that brings Nordic experts to the Scottish Parliament and produces a popular weekly podcast. Lesley has presented You and Yours on BBC Radio 4, The Midnight Hour on BBC2 and The People’s Parliament and Powerhouse on Channel 4. She founded the Scottish feminist magazine Harpies and Quines, won two Sony awards for her daily Radio Scotland show and edited The Scotswoman – a 1995 edition of The Scotsman written by its female staff. She was a trustee of the Isle of Eigg Trust that pioneered the successful community buyout in 1997. She has presented and co-produced films about the Faroes, Iceland and Norway and during lockdown, presented Declaration, a film celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath. Lesley was awarded a PHD in July 2020 and lives near the sea in north Fife.