Kidnapped

For years, I thought this was the sequel to Treasure Island. It is not. It is an unusual tale of a a young man betrayed into captivity and his adventures in escaping. I never saw so many Scottish words in my life. My favorite was “drammach” which is when you make oatmeal with cold water - definitely a meal of desperation. I bought this copy at the bookshop next door to the Skunk and Goat Tavern. They had a big collection of Chiltern editions of classics - I’d never bought one before. They are very pleasing to hold and read, and the illustrations are great. The paper is very shiny, though, so sometimes glare is a problem. The story is a bit unconventional, and is sometimes a bit dull in a way that actually makes it seem real, because who would make up something that mundane? I definitely learned a lot about the realities of Scottish history.