Borrowed Land

Magisterial and unforgettable - an intimate story of a Scottish Highland glen, from the prizewinning author of Border.

This is the intimate story of a Scottish glen and its inhabitants, of whom I am one.

From the powerful rivers that bring life and prosperity; to the Pictish cairns, undisturbed for centuries; to the meadows of bluebells, where deer emerge, God-like, in a flash, Kapka Kassabova reveals a world that has been abused, but remains achingly beautiful and alive.

In the Highlands, centuries-old connections between the land, nature and people have been, and continue to be, shaken by the forces of colonialism, industry, depopulation, and private property speculation. Borrowed Land tells the stories of those who are working against this disconnect- the last true Highlanders fighting to preserve their home.

An extraordinary portrait of the Scottish Highlands, this is an epic and urgent story of destruction and renewal, told through encounters with some of the last true Highlanders.