The Ultimate Guide to Being Scottish

About the Book: 

Essential reading for Scots everywhere, and for non-Scots with Scottish spouses, lovers, colleagues, friends or foes.

Clark McGinn knows all about the pride that glints in the eyes of those with even a small percentage of tartan in the blood. But what exactly puts it there, and how do you know whether you’re a true Scot at heart (if not under your kilt)? And above all, how do you get a share in the action even if you’re not a Scot?

This lighthearted yet thoroughly researched book examines the great things about being Scottish: Hogmanay, Burns Night, Up Helly Aa, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Hallowe’en and (the only one not celebrated in Scotland) Tartan Day – getting the most out of the big Scottish party occasions.

Ceilidhs, Highland dancing and The Royal Caledonian Ball – how to put your best foot forward.

The National Spirit – the history of whisky Munros, monuments and midges – how to survive the great Scottish countryside.

...and a great deal else, from a potted history of Scotia’s monarchs to deep-fried Mars bars to the bits of Auld Lang Syne nobody can remember.

Reviews: 

McGinn wrote the perfect fun-but-rigorously footnoted book for Scots who vaguely know their cultural heritage, but would not like to be questioned too closely on, say, the precise meaning of the words to Auld Lang Syne. COLIN DONALD, The Sunday Herald

Clark McGinn, a true Scot, examines our heritage and our culture, and discusses how our proud history and traditions define the enigmatic, idiosyncratic race that we are today.  SHARI LOW, Daily Record

About the Author:

CLARK McGINN was born and brought up in Ayr, being educated at Ayr Academy where he spoke at his first Burns Supper. He has performed at over 200 Immortal Memory speeches in 32 cities in 17 countries, travelling nearly a dozen times round the globe in the process. He was President of the Burns Club of London during the Burns 250th Celebrations in 2009, when he gave the Eulogy at the National Service of Thanksgiving for Burns at Westminster Abbey. In 2014, he was awarded a PhD by the University of Glasgow for his research into the history of the Burns Supper and has had several peer-reviewed articles published on various aspects of Burns. 

He has published several books on the Burns Supper, including The Ultimate Burns Supper Book, The Burns Supper: A Comprehensive History and The Burns Supper: A Concise History. Clark lives with his wife, Ann, in Harrow-on-the-Hill and Fowey. Their three daughters live outside London and New York.