Skip to content

Scottish Poetry Library

Register/Sign in
Shopping Bag Shopping Bag
Bringing people and poems together
  • Home
  • COVID-19
    • Re-Opening FAQ
  • Poetry
    • Poems
    • Poets
    • Poetry Ambassadors 2020
    • Best Scottish Poems
    • Podcasts
    • Poetry and Mindfulness
    • Our National Poet
    • Posters
    • Publishers
  • Library
    • Become a borrower
    • Catalogue
    • Collections
    • Ask a librarian
    • Copyright enquiries
  • Learning
    • National Poetry Day 2019
    • National Poetry Day archive
    • SQA set texts
    • Learning resources
    • New to poetry?
    • Advice for poets
  • Events
    • What’s On
    • Venue hire
  • Shop
    • Scottish Poetry
    • Poetry Pamphlet Cards
    • Pocket Poets
    • Scotland’s Makar
    • Help
  • About us
    • Our story
    • Our people
    • Our projects
    • Jobs
    • Our building
    • FAQs
    • Find us
  • Support us
    • Become a Friend
    • Donate
    • Easy Fundraising
  • Blog
Shopping BagShopping Bag
Ask a librarian
  • Home
  • >
  • Shop
  • >
  • For the Islands I Sing by George Mackay Brown
Donate Donate icon Ask a Librarian Ask a Librarian icon

For the Islands I Sing by George Mackay Brown

George’s memory is inseparable from Orkney, where he was born the youngest child of a poor family and which he rarely left. His mother was a beautiful woman who spoke only Gaelic and his father was a wit, mimic and singer, who also doubled as postman and tailor. Tuberculosis framed George’s early life and kept him in a kind of limbo.

He discovered alcohol which gave him insights into the workings of the mind. While attending the University of Edinburgh he came into contact with Goodsir Smith, MacDiarmid and Norman MacCaig – and Stella Cartwright with whom perhaps all of them were in love. By the time of his death in 1996 he was recognised as one of the great writers of his time and country.

Book type :
Paperback
ISBN :
9781846975110
Number of Pages :
192
Publisher :
Birlinn
Year :
2019 (reissue)
Price :

£8.99

It looks like you are not logged in as a Friends member of Scottish Poetry Library. Did you know that, as well as supporting our work, Friends receive discount in our online Shop? Become a Friend now or login to access your Friend's discount.

Share this
Facebook
Twitter
Email

Related products

The Magicians of Edinburgh by Ron Butlin

£9.99

A collection of poems about Scotland’s capital by the former Edinburgh Makar, Ron Butlin, with illustrations by James Hutcheson.

Read moreAdd to basket

The Bonniest Companie by Kathleen Jamie

£9.99

In her extraordinary collection, Kathleen Jamie examines her native Scotland – a country at once wild and contained, rural and urban – and her place within it.

Read moreAdd to basket

Spark edited by Rob A. Mackenzie & Louise Peterkin

£10.00

Poetry and Art Inspired by the Novels of Muriel Spark.

Read moreAdd to basket
  • Newsletter signup
  • Accessibility
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Scottish Poetry Library
5 Crichton's Close, Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8DT
Tel: +44 (0)131 557 2876
© Scottish Poetry Library 2021.
The Scottish Poetry Library is a registered charity (No. SCO23311).
City of Edinburgh logo Green Arts Initiative logo Creative Scotland logo
By leaves we live

The Scottish Poetry Library is staffed weekdays from 10am – 2pm and is providing a limited service including postal loans and Click & Collect. For details, click COVID-19 in the menu bar above. Dismiss