Introduced by Douglas Gifford. This hilarious novel charts the rise and fall (and perhaps the rise again) of Magnus Merriman—would-be lover, writer, politician, idealist and crofter—moved by dreams of greatness and a talent for farcical defeat. Convinced that ‘small nations are safer to live in than big ones’, Magnus becomes a Nationalist candidate for the parliamentary seat of ‘Kinluce’. With details based on Linklater’s own experiences in an East Fife by-election in 1933, the way is...
Introduced by Magnus Linklater. Angelo, a private in Mussolini’s ‘ever-glorious’ Italian army, may possess the virtues of love and an engaging innocence but he lacks the gift of courage. However, due to circumstances beyond his control, he ends up fighting not only for Italy but also for the British and German armies. With his patron the Count, the beautiful Lucrezia, the charming Annunziata, and the delightful Major Telfer, Angelo’s fellow characters are drawn with humour, insight and...
