The Broken Journey ― A Life of Scotland 1976-99

This is the second volume of Kenneth Roy’s trilogy on the history of Scotland since the Second World War. This new volume brings the story much closer to the present day and traces the social and political threads which lead directly to the Scotland of the twenty-first century. There are wonderful highs and devastating lows. Along the way the author describes the oil boom in Shetland, gives a hilarious account of Scotland’s doomed campaign at the World Cup in Argentina and tells the astonishing story of the cloning of Dolly the sheep. In dark contrast he also provides a searing analysis of such tragedies as the Piper Alpha disaster, the Lockerbie bombing and the Dunblane massacre. This is far more than a conventional history: in a sparkling, at times very funny critique, Kenneth Roy anatomizes an often dysfunctional Scotland which is still recognisable today. But as the book closes hope is just round the corner ? or is it? The Broken Journey culminates in a referendum and the inauguration of the new Scottish parliament. The stage is set for the future that we now live in?