Robin A Crawford is an author and illustrator with particular interest in the culture and natural heritage of Scotland. Born in Glasgow he has been a bookseller for twenty five years. Trained as a sculptor, he has lectured on the history of art at Edinburgh University and given lunchtime talks at the National Galleries of Scotland. He likes to read, garden and post quirkily on his blog http://www.robinacrawford.com
He lives near Auchtermuchty with his wife and has two sons.
‘Into The Peatlands: A Journey Through the Moorland Year’, his first book, published in September 2018
“…makes you yearn for a sip of golden whisky whose barley malt has been smoked over a rich, peaty fire.”
Daily Mail
“The peatlands of the Outer Hebrides are half land, half water. Their surface is a glorious tweed woven from tiny, living sphagnums rich in wildlife, but underneath is layer upon layer of dead mosses transforming into the peat. One can, with care, walk out onto them, but stop and you begin to sink into them. For time immemorial the peatlands have been places – for humans at least – of seasonal habitation but not of constant residence.
“In this book Robin A. Crawford explores the peatlands over the course of the year, explaining how they have come to be and examining how peat has been used from the Bronze Age onwards. In describing the seasonal processes of cutting, drying, stacking, storing and burning he reveals one of the key rhythms of island life, but his study goes well beyond this to include many other aspects, including the wildlife and folklore associated with these lonely, watery places.
“Widening his gaze to other peatlands in the country, he also reflects on the historical and cultural importance that peat has played, and continues to play – it is still used for fuel in many rural areas and plays an essential role in whisky-making – in the story of Scotland.”
Publisher: Birlinn General
ISBN: 9781780275598
‘Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers: A Treasury of 1,000 Scottish Words’ published August 2020
The Scots language is an ancient and lyrical tongue, one inherently linked to the country’s history and identity, its land and culture. It is also a living and vital vernacular, used daily. Yet some of these words are beginning to fade away, their meaning and value disappearing.
Robin A. Crawford has gathered together 1,000 Scots words from his native land – old and new, classical and colloquial, rural and urban – in a joyful celebration of their continuing usage. In this rich linguistic tapestry, he reveals their evocative origins and essential character with verve, delight and wit.
Publisher: Elliott and Thompson
ISBN: 9781783964789
For all author enquiries, please contact:
Jenny Brown
Jenny Brown Associates
31 Marchmont Road
Edinburgh
EH9 1HU
T: +44 (0) 131 229 5334
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For all “Into The Peatlands” enquiries, please contact:
Birlinn Ltd.
West Newington House
10 Newington Road
Edinburgh EH9 1QS
Email: info@birlinn.co.uk
Tel:+44 (0)131 668 4371
For all “Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers” enquiries, please contact:
Elliott & Thompson
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London, WC1N 2ES
http://www.eandtbooks.com
@eandtbooks
Robin A Crawford 