Several times I see in news groups statements like how do I program keys in UNIX. Or I just changed my emulator and get funny characters. This book answers those questions and helps with the understanding of how to build a program that works with any terminal and other applications. Knowing this book can save man days of speculation on why the control characters do not respond as you expected them to.

The author does give a good background on the Highlands in general in the early part of the book, but his focus is really on Lewis/Harris for the most part. This is a very personal popular history. There are good points and bad in that. The reader gets in-depth information about some cultural/local things that are probably not covered as well anywhere else (ie the Presbyterian factions vying for control of the souls of Northern Islanders). If these kinds of things do not stir you, you may be a little disappointed. I found some of this interesting. I was particularly moved by the story of the wreck of the Iolaire. I don't suppose it is a story that one would run across anywhere else.

As a good introduction to some of the larger issues, it serves well. The first part of the book is a good review of the various peoples and cultures that made up the Highlands. The crofting culture and the Clearances are treated well and the reader is pointed toward authors who can go into these subjects in greater depth ( ie James Hunter).

One very frustrating (for me) habit of the author is to quote other sources (Paul Johnson, John Prebble) without citing the work it is taken from either in the body of the text, in notes or even in the bibliography.

The author admits that he has "a strong bias towards traditional Highland Presbyterianism, and a corresponding disdain for rites Roman and Anglican." Those who wince at Catholics being called "Papists" and Catholicism generally ignored or disparaged, might do well to look elsewhere. The author does not mention, even in passing, the Penal Laws against Catholics, whereby practicing Catholicism became a treasonable offense (the first offense meant confiscation of all property, the second, banishment and the third, death) are not mentioned at all. This pogrom against Catholics in the 17th and 18th centuries is why Evangelicals in the 19th century could come in to fill a religious vacuum.

I recommend this book, but would urge that it not be the only work you read on the Highlands. John Prebble's books are great reading. I have thoroughly enjoyed his accounts of Glencoe and Culloden. I continue to look for an overview of the Highlands and Islands that is more scholarly and balanced.

This book covers over 1000 years of history in the Highlands region of Scotland. As is implied by the title, this is a people's history - there is no geological/natural history of the Highlands, except where the land has been used/altered by man. The first portions of the book are fascinating, detailing the early immigration to the west coast and islands of Scotland, the coming of missionaries, Vikings, the union of Scotland under one crown in Edinburgh, and, of course, the uprising led by Bonnie Prince Charlie. Unfortunately, I found myself losing interest in the latter half of the book, with its heavy focus on church squabbling. While undoubtedly of importance in understanding the "Highlands Problem," it could have been dealt with in a more expedient manner, without the enumeration of every schism that occurred.

The title is perhaps mileading. It is, in fact, a history of the people in the Highlands (and those in England, Norway, etc. that directly affected the Highlanders). Therefore, the book focusses on the people of this area of Scotland, while essentially ignoring the history of the people who immigrated there in the first place (from Ireland, Scandenavia, etc.), or the people that emigrated (to Canada, Australia, etc.) from the Highlands in later years. The author even points out that early in the 1900's, there were four times the number of Gaelic speakers in Nova Scotia than there were in the Highlands - surely some stories of these pioneers deserve treatment in the book titled "A History of the Gaels."

Finally, the maps are woefully inadequate. There are some political maps, but they do not include the locations of many of the towns mentioned in the narrative, and virtually none of the castles. Further, they are scattered throughout the book with no reference to them in the text, further adding to the difficulty in referencing them.

The strength of the book is certainly the readability. The first half is fantastic. The second half is only okay, as it seems to belabour certain issues to the point where the reader loses interest. It's certainly an adequate (and modern - published in 1997) entry for anyone interested in the history of the Highlands' peoples, with enough details to further educate those with a more intimate knowledge of the Highlands.

Thoroughly readable history of our people - but very little on the diaspora.

This book however does deal with contemporary Highland society, so if you're only interested in a sentimental look at the past, you can still enjoy the majority of this book

MacLeod's book is best in the areas of least interest, namely the early Scottish Stuarts. Unfortunately, it is at its weakest in discussing the family's 17th Century English kings, who provide far more interesting subjects. Nonetheless, MacLeoed approaches them in a rather cursory and one dimensional manner which leaves a motivated reader rather unsatisfied. His closest approach to approval of any of these is for Charles II, but even then he damns this most fascinating and underrated of monarchs (in view of the challenges he faced) with faint praise.

More troubling, MacLeod demonstrates an open and excessive anti-Catholic bias rarely exhibited over the last half century. In doing so, he devalues the more modern and tolerant approaches to religious policy desired by the later Stuart kings, but which were frustrated by parliament and revolution. At the same time, he is slavish in his devotion to such premodern bigots as Cromwell and William of Orange. Still, he is no Macauley in this enterprise and I would recommend, instead, the second volume of Simon Schama's splendid History of Britain to the reader seeking a casual treatment of this subject area. Schama goes into almost as much depth as MacLeod, but is a vastly better writer and is considerably fairer in his evaluations of both individuals and issues.

Lots of books have been written about the Stuarts, but this book brings them all together with a Scottish perspective. A good choice for any one who's interested in the period and wants a very readable well written popular history.

History belongs to the victor. The stuarts were not victorious so history has not been kind to them - mind you they were not the most noble of families either ! Like all scots their's was a tribal mindset and this contributed to their downfall as well as moving further ands further (back) into the Roman Catholic Church - not a wise move if your ancestors were Presbyterian or your masses were Anglican ! The reader of this book will be enlightened to a period in Scottish and world history little understood. It is why a Nationalist Protestant Scot can be a Jacobite for the sake of Scottish rule but cringe at the thought of a Catholic on the throne in the same breath.

John Macleod is a gifted writer - he conveys depth in a style that is refreshing - he makes no attempt to conceal the fact that his work is a popular history as is his previous work The Highlanders - A History of the Gaels (a good read as well). Do not read this if you are expecting references to other works except a few at the back. The style of John Macleod does not allow for this - which is why it flows so well.

Some of the insights that i learnt included that the King James from the King James Bible fame actually was a Scot, being the son of the famous Mary Queen of Scots. As well as being a very gifted and knowledgable individual he was a barbarian in his attitude to life and property. I plead ignorance to anything of Royalty - I am an Australian. This book also allows the reader to pick up on errors in protocol such as the current english queen actually being Elizabeth the First - because under the union of the crowns the Scots line came first - but as with many things the scots were outdone by their tribal (clan) nature and the evil english !

What struck me the most about this particular work is that as you read the constant calamities that befell the Family your actually start to feel for their stupidity - Bonnie Prince Charles came withina wisker - if he had the ticker - of taking back the crown ! You see them as a family with weakness that was expliotated by all and sundry - the coup de grace was of course the switch to a portestant Royal line with the Hannoverians - some 34 places out of succession - to call this illegal does not do this cruel twist of fate justice.

THere is of course some overlap between this work and Macleods previous as you would expect with any literary individual - the one draw back in this work was that the pretenders chapter is short I would have like it to be longer with perhaps some more detail - but to be honest after the Hannoverians ascended to the throne the stuarts really did just disappear. Alas the Bear Gates will not be opened for some time.

I recommend this work of some 360 pages which has a few illustrations as well. It will make you look at a period of time through Scottish eyes and realise that although the stuarts were their own worst enemy they also certainly brought to life a period of history that otherwise may have been written off as dull.

I find this book not that helpful especially for medical student as it's way of presenation is not appropriate and not easy..also it's language is difficult... I find this book boring ..it doesn't draw your attention and concentration

good book with nice illustrations, but lacks in simplicity.