Northern Lights

The Arctic Scots

Edward J. Cowan

$65

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Birlinn Ltd
01 January 2024

History; Maritime history; Geographical discovery & exploration

Surprisingly, the remarkable story of the Scottish role in the discovery of the Northwest Passage

a long desired trade route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific

has not received a great deal of attention.

This book charts the extensive contribution to Arctic exploration made by the Scots, including significant names, such as John Ross from Stranraer, veteran of three Arctic expeditions; his nephew, James Clark Ross, the most experienced Arctic and Antarctic explorer of his generation and discoverer of the Magnetic North Pole; John Richardson of Dumfries, a medical doctor, seasoned explorer and engaging natural historian; and Orcadian John Rae, who discovered evidence of the grisly demise of John Franklin and his crew. The book also pays tribute to many others too: the Scotch Irish, the whalers and not least the Inuit, with whom the Scottish explorers cooperated and generally enjoyed good relations, relying on their knowledge of the environment in many crucial cases.

The awakening of the Scots to the magnificence and dread of the hyperborean regions

as places of discovery, of inspiration and, regrettably, of exploitation

is traced, with particular emphasis on the first half of the nineteenth century until the search for the missing Franklin expedition mid-century.

By: Edward J. Cowan
Imprint: Birlinn Ltd
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 37mm
Weight: 693g
ISBN: 9781780277875
ISBN 10: 1780277873
Pages: 464
Publication Date: 01 January 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Edward J. Cowan was formerly Professor of Scottish History at the University of Glasgow and Director of the university's Dumfries Campus. He previously taught at the Universities of Edinburgh and Guelph, Ontario. A fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, he died in December 2021.

Reviews for Northern Lights: The Arctic Scots

'A fine book that helps put right a significant historical oversight: the lack of recognition awarded by their peers and by posterity to the contributions made by Scots to Arctic exploration' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *