A Scotsman Returns is a fascinating combination of biographical material about Thomas Telford and a modern travelogue that revisits the places in the Highlands and Islands where he worked over 20 years. Telford's programme of work was one of the greatest sustained efforts by any individual in the years of Britain's industrial revolution, but it is little celebrated in Scotland, let alone the rest of Britain and the wider world. The author shows Telford differently, as a man of the Scottish Enlightenment, a rounded character with a love of poetry and the natural world, a good companion and a generous friend. The author retraces an extensive Highland Tour made by Telford and the Poet Laureate, Robert Southey, in 1819, and comments on the places they visited, the sights they saw, their social interactions, and Southey's intelligent interest in Telford's roadmaking, bridgebuilding and the Caledonian Canal. Telford's work in other areas of the Highlands and Islands is also covered, principally in Caithness, Sutherland, and the Hebridean Islands. The travelogue is complemented with modern views of the places where Telford worked, and will encourage readers worldwide to explore the routes followed by Telford as he developed Highland infrastructure.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 29 October 2021
Publisher: Whittles Publishing

Thomas Telford (1757-1834) was a Scottish engineer who played a crucial role in the civil infrastructure of Scotland during the industrial revolution.

His programme of work was one of the greatest sustained efforts by any individual in the years of Britains industrial revolution, but it is little celebrated in Scotland, let alone the rest of Britain and the wider world.

After working in England and Wales for nearly 20 years, Telford was called back to his native land to address huge problems in the Highlands and Islands.

These included unemployment, depopulation, Highlanders dispirited by poverty and suppression following the two Jacobite uprisings, compounded by living in mountainous regions almost totally isolated from the rest of Scotland.

Thomas Telford has been widely painted as a brilliant engineer totally devoted to his work, a somewhat one-dimensional character.

However, the author shows him differently, as a man of the Scottish Enlightenment, a rounded character with a love of poetry and the natural world, a good companion and a generous friend.

A Scotsman Returns reveals him as a person who, in spite of the humblest start in life, displayed great social skills in his dealings with Scots both haughty and humble during his 20-year commitment to the Highlands and Islands.

The author retraces an extensive Highland Tour made by Telford and the Poet Laureate, Robert Southey, in 1819.

The two men were drawn together by Telfords love of poetry and Southeys admiration of the engineers remarkable work in the Highlands and Islands.

The tour took them through the Highlands and Islands, including the Isle of Skye, the Inner Hebrides, and the Western Isles.

They visited many of the sites where Telford had worked, including the Caledonian Canal, the Forth and Clyde Canal, and the Tay Bridge.

The tour also included visits to some of the local communities, where Telford had made a significant impact on the lives of the people.

The author provides a detailed account of the tour, including the sights, sounds, and smells of the Highlands and Islands.

He also discusses the impact of Telfords work on the region, including the economic development and the improvement of the quality of life for the people.

A Scotsman Returns is a fascinating and informative book that will appeal to anyone interested in Scottish history, engineering, or travel.

It provides a unique perspective on the life and work of Thomas Telford and the impact that he had on the Highlands and Islands.

The book is well-written and engaging, and it is sure to inspire readers to explore the Highlands and Islands for themselves.

A Scotsman Returns is available in paperback and e-book formats.

It is published by Birlinn Limited and is priced at £12.99 (paperback) and £9.99 (e-book).

To order a copy of A Scotsman Returns, please visit the Birlinn Limited website or your local bookstore.

A Scotsman Returns is a fascinating and informative book that explores the life and work of Thomas Telford, a Scottish engineer who played a crucial role in the civil infrastructure of Scotland during the industrial revolution.

The book is written by Robert Southey, a poet and author who was a contemporary of Telford and who accompanied him on a tour of the Highlands and Islands in 1819.

The tour took them through the Highlands and Islands, including the Isle of Skye, the Inner Hebrides, and the Western Isles.

They visited many of the sites where Telford had worked, including the Caledonian Canal, the Forth and Clyde Canal, and the Tay Bridge.

The tour also included visits to some of the local communities, where Telford had made a significant impact on the lives of the people.

The author provides a detailed account of the tour, including the sights, sounds, and smells of the Highlands and Islands.

He also discusses the impact of Telfords work on the region, including the economic development and the improvement of the quality of life for the people.

A Scotsman Returns is a fascinating and informative book that will appeal to anyone interested in Scottish history, engineering, or travel.

It provides a unique perspective on the life and work of Thomas Telford and the impact that he had on the Highlands and Islands.

The book is well-written and engaging, and it is sure to inspire readers to explore the Highlands and Islands for themselves.

A Scotsman Returns is available in paperback and e-book formats.

It is published by Birlinn Limited and is priced at £12.99 (paperback) and £9.99 (e-book).

To order a copy of A Scotsman Returns, please visit the Birlinn Limited website or your local bookstore.

Weight: 594g
Dimension: 171 x 240 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781849954860