To the Ends of the Earth: by TM Devine

Allen Lane, h/b ****  Subtitled ‘Scotland’s Global Diaspora 1750-2010'.

 It’s sometimes said – usually tongue-in-cheek – that no matter where you go in the world, you’ll bump into a Scot. After reading Devine’s final book in a remarkable trilogy that charts the story of Scots, both at home and abroad over the last 300 years, you’ll understand why. Over 2.3 million Scots emigrated between 1825-1938, and there are now an estimated 40 million members of the Scottish diaspora around the world. To the Ends of the Earth explores the nature and impact of that emigration on both Scotland and the rest of the world. Scottish men and women emigrated in huge numbers, not just to countries within the British Empire but to the furthest reaches of the earth. It really is a global diaspora, and one which has made a mark on just about every country in the world as the Scots carried their ideas and capital to every corner of the world. Moreover, they left Scotland for a number of reasons: some were lured with the promise of a better life, whilst others were pushed, by famine, war or unscrupulous landlords.

This fascinating and far-reaching book also tackles head-on some of the more uncomfortable issues, such as whether or not slavery helped to make Scotland great, the often violent relationship of Scots settlers with indigenous peoples and the role played by the Clearances. Although he can be dense and occasionally difficult to read, his books are always packed with information, and his conclusions are as thoughtful and incisive as you’d expect from an academic who has established himself as one of the deepest thinkers on Scottish identity and history, and whose books remain staggeringly popular. 

£25.00