On Scottish Books: Kathi Kamleitner
Notable writers and readers share five of their favorite Scottish titles.
For Volume 3 of ‘On Scottish Books’, we are joined by Kathi Kamleitner aka Watch Me See. Take it away Kathi!
As a writer, I am in awe of the rich tapestry of Scottish stories. It seems that every place and every aspect of Scottish culture comes with a set of stories, and learning them all would be a lifelong task. My bookshelves bend under the weight of non-fiction books about Scottish history, nature and culture, and there are many more titles on my “to read” pile.
Choosing just five books wasn’t an easy task, but one I gladly accepted - and you’ll soon see, that I cheated a little…
Here are the books that have inspired me to dig deeper, write stories and poems of my own, and become a part of the Scottish storytelling community.
I hope you enjoy them!
1. Regeneration, The Rescue of a Wild Land by Andrew Painting
I’ve always been an avid hiker, so moving to Scotland gave me the opportunity to spend lots of time in the Scottish mountains. I loved immersing myself in these vast landscapes, felt small compared to the towering hills and immersed myself fully in the harsh elements. But little did I know that these mountains were only a supposed wilderness, that had undergone many dramatic changes - from the depletion of Caledonian woodlands to the near disappearance of countless animal and plant species.
Andrew Painting’s book Regeneration was like a wake-up call, to pay closer attention to the impacts humans have had on Scotland’s natural spaces. Painting is an ecologist with the National Trust for Scotland and in this book, he dissects various ecological issues in the Cairngorms National Park. But rather than lingering in moments of hopelessness, he inspires readers with fascinating stories about little-known species of moss or butterflies, tells stories of successful rewilding projects and encourages a hopeful view of a future that could be better.
My podcast story The Birds & the Trees was inspired by a conversation I had with Painting and a visit to regenerated landscapes at Mar Lodge Estate. Listen here.
2. The Last Sunset in the West by Natalie Sanders
How much do you know about orca in Scotland? In The Last Sunset in the West, marine biologist Natalie Sanders tells the stories of 10 members of the west coast community of orca in Scotland. This family unit is resident on the Scottish west coast, which means, that they live in the waters surrounding the Hebridean islands year-round. While they have been monitored since the 1980s, it is believed that only two male orcas are left today.
In the first part of the book, Sanders traces the stories of each of the 10 members and explores how human relationships have affected them over time. The second part of the book is Sanders’ diary from joining a research cruise with the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, who are a leading conservation organisation on the Scottish west coast.
Inspired by reading this book, I interviewed a member of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust about marine tourism in Scotland. We spoke about the fascinating stories of marine mammal research in Scotland and how visitors can ensure that they choose responsible ways of engaging with these beautiful creatures. Listen here.
3. Island on the Edge by Anne Cholawo
Coming from a landlocked country (Austria), I’ve always been fascinated by islands - being surrounded by water, they are the complete opposite of what I’m used to.
Island on the Edge is Anne Cholawo’s fascinating memoir about moving to the tiny island of Soay, off the coast of Skye. From the challenges of relocating her life to an island without a ferry or mains electricity to finding ways to make a living and achieve self-sufficiency, Cholawo doesn’t sugarcoat the sometimes difficult reality of small island life. However, her accounts of joining a small community in such beautiful surroundings soon had me dreaming about moving to an island myself.
While I didn’t quite follow that impulse (yet), I recorded a fascinating conversation about small island life with Isebail MacKinnon from the Isle of Canna, an island west of Soay with a population of just 18. Listen here.
4. Life Between the Tides by Adam Nicolson
At first glance, Life Between the Tides is a book about rockpools. Author Adam Nicolson had been fascinated with rockpools and the critters left behind by the retreating tide since he was a child. In his 60s, he took it upon himself to build rockpools along the shore near his wife’s family home in Argyll. The first part of this book is dedicated to creatures of the sea and how their lives are turned upside down twice a day.
But then, Nicolson shifts tone and moves from these small bodies of water to bigger philosophical questions. In the second and third parts of the book, he writes about interconnectedness and how understanding the complex lives of little creatures, can help us understand our own role in the universe.
Just as Adam Nicolson is fascinated by rockpools, I’m in awe with snorkelling in the intertidal zone. In 2022, I was part of a Snorkelling Artist Residence at the Argyll Hope Spot and produced a collection of audio poems titled Creature of the Sea. Listen here.
PS: The book was originally published as The Sea Is Not Made of Water.
5. Celtic Sea Stories by George W. MacPherson
Storytelling is an integral part of Gaelic culture on the west coast of Scotland. Stories, traditions, lessons, songs and more were handed down through generations, keeping them alive and well. In this collection of Celtic Sea Stories, George W. MacPherson gathers stories from all over the Scottish west coast and tells them in the way he learnt them through oral tradition. He also includes information about the origins of the stories and adds context to help readers understand their cultural meaning. It’s a great book, I like to pick up when I’m in the mood for a story.
One of my favourites is called “The Whale of Mull,” which tells the story of an ingenious fisherman and his sons, who sailed out to feed their village in a dire winter storm. In fact, I told this story at a community ceilidh in Glenelg and recorded it for my podcast story Over the Ratagan Pass. Listen here.
Bonus: Soil and Soul by Alistair McIntosh
This one is for the thick-skinned reader. In Soil and Soul, Alistair McIntosh tells two stories of small Scottish island communities who resisted corporate powers and gained enormous victories on their home ground. The first is the story of the monumental community buy-out in the Isle of Eigg; the second traces the community effort to prevent the creation of a super-quarry in the Isle of Harris.
In between, McIntosh explores the relationship between humans and land from various philosophical and spiritual standpoints. It’s a dense read with seemingly never-ending academic quotes, but at the heart, it’s a book about inspiring community activism - well worth the time it takes to get through it!
BIO
Kathi Kamleitner is a writer, podcaster and travel planner hailing originally from Austria. She fell in love with Scotland at first sight and made a career out of helping visitors get the most out of their trips to Scotland. She publishes practical tips and travel guides on her Scotland travel blog Watch Me See, writes immersive stories for her podcast Wild for Scotland and plans bespoke itineraries. Her Scotland guidebooks are available in German. She now lives in Glasgow with her partner and two cats.
Thank you so much Kathi! And thank you all for reading. Stay tuned for future installments of ‘On Scottish Books’! And feel free to join Scottish Wanderlust Book Club on Facebook :)
Lilly
A very thought provoking, informative and entertaining selection - I know there are so many niches, and threads to pursue - your wide cast net of enquiry pulled in a rich haul Kathi 🥰
Thanks for the book list some interesting titles to pursue! Being new to this platform , this is my first post. Looking forward to following you, miss seeing you on insta