As a child Iain Crichton Smith was raised speaking Gaelic on the island of Lewis. At school in Stornoway he spoke English. Like many islanders before and since, his culture was divided: two languages and two histories entailing exile. His divided perspective delineated the tyranny of history and religion, of the cramped life of small communities, and gave him a compassionate eye for the struggle of women and men in a world defined by denials. After the Dance proves that big themes – love, history, power, submission, death – can be addressed without the foil of irony and acquire resonance when given a local habitation and a voice that risks pure, humane, impassioned speech.
This updated edition includes the story ‘Home’
عن المؤلف
Alan Warner is one of Scotland's best loved literary figures. His debut, Morven Callar is a contemporary classic; both it and The Sopranos have been made into famous films. He has been nominated for the Booker Prize and many other awards. He teaches at the University of Aberdeen.