Gillespie

Hay, John Macdougall. With an Introduction by Bob Tait and Isobel Murray

ISBN 10: 0903937794 / ISBN 13: 9780903937795

Published by Canongate Books Ltd, Edinburgh, 1979

About this Item

First published in 1914, this is a reissue with new introduction of 1979. Some edge wear and creasing to top and bottom of jacket and spine, some slight yellowing to white parts of jacket, corners slightly bruised. price clipped, no inscriptions, internally clean tight and square, overall a vg+ copy of quite a scarce book. 450pp. A leech, a pirate, a predator, an anti Christ, a public benefactor and the fisherman's friend, such is Gillespie Strang in this remarkably powerful Scottish novel. Gillespie is the harsh prophet of the new breed of Scottish entrepreneur, prepared to use any means to achieve his insatiable ambition amongst the nineteenth century fishing communities of the west coast. John MacDougall Hay (1881-1919), was born and raised in Tarbert, Loch Fyne, on which he based the setting for 'Gillespie'. A Church of Scotland minister, his knowledge of such communities and his sombre vision of good and evil shape this, his finest novel. Sadly, Hay died of tuberculosis aged only 38.

Seller Inventory # 005047

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Gillespie
• Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd, Edinburgh
• Publication Date: 1979
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0903937794
• ISBN 13: 9780903937795
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Thus
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

A leech, a pirate, a predator, an anti-Christ, a public benefactor and the fisherman's friend; such is Gillespie Strang in this remarkably powerful Scottish novel. Gillespie is the harsh prophet of the new breed of Scottish entrepreneur, prepared to use any means to achieve his insatiable ambition amongst the nineteenth-century fishing communities of the west coast.

John MacDougall Hay (1881-1919) was born and raised in Tarbert, Loch Fyne, on which he based the setting for Gillespie. A Church of Scotland minister, his knowledge of such communities and his sombre vision of good and evil shape this, his finest novel.

Review

"J. MacDougall Hay has set a tragic tale, which, for sheer relentlessness, it would be difficult to find a parallel." (The Times)

"... a sprawling masterpiece which thunders with truth and authenticity." (Life and Work)

"... it is a mighty novel, demonstrating Hay's command of sensuous descriptive narrative and symbolism." (The Scotsman)