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Daunderlust

Dispatches from Unreported Scotland

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Daunderlust

By: Peter Ross
Narrated by: Robbie Coltrane
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About this listen

Peter Ross' articles from around Scotland provide a piece-by-piece portrait of a nation as it changes.

They show Scotland as she really is, a hopeful country not without problems and pain but a nation made great by the people who live, love, laugh and graft there.

From anatomists who find dissection beautiful to chip-shop owners who sing arias while serving fish suppers, the Scots in these pages come over as eccentric, humorous, moving and extraordinary.

©2014 All but ‘Glasgow Central’ © Scotsman Publications, Glasgow Central © Peter Ross (P)2015 W F Howes Ltd
Europe Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing Western Europe Scotland Witty
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Coltrane is utterly brilliant as the reader of these Scottish vignettes. I know these people, I grew up with them. I missed a nights sleep because it is so captivating. Real people described sympathetically

Took me back to my homeland

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This audiobook was a wonderful and varied experience for me (and also for a friend who read the print copy). Though a set of feature articles, there is little sense of this other than the mix of topics, people and characters covered. To me it felt more like an 'album' of short stories. The collection holds together really well. Peter Ross is an accomplished writer with insight, compassion strong writing skills and lovely turns of phrase. He like people and this anchors the book with a deep humanity. Humour is frequent - in many guises. As the son of a Lanarkshire man (but me Brummie born) I loved the light-peppering of Scottish words including the 'piece' (meaning sandwich) of my childhood. Each word is worth noting and looking up; without doing so meaning is not harmed - so do not be put off. The narration is fully sympathetic, though how far characterisations match reality no one can tell. Save for a careless, unedited narration error when Robbie Coltrane uses an ugly word, this audio book will remain a firm favourite. It was an absolute pleasure to come across this book. What we all need now is the second volume, 'The Passion of Harry Bingo' to be recorded and made available on Audible.

Rich, Humane and So Rewarding

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I enjoyed listening to this book immensely. I just hope that the sequel, Harry Bingo, will also be made available as an audiobook.

Wonderful stories, brilliantly read.

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What made the experience of listening to Daunderlust the most enjoyable?

The writing of Peter Ross and the reading of his prose by Robbie Coltrane. Coltrane picked up Peter Ross's side comment sand brilliantly headed the into a net as surely as Archie Gemmill did in Argentina in 1978.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Daunderlust?

For me personally the chapter on the Strathcathro Services. For those who know of what I write - listen to the chapter and be prepared to be amazed and grateful for many things. I also enjoyed the story of the carnival people and the naturists at Loch Lomond and Barlinnie and the Jedburgh Ba' - there are just so many wonderful chapters. Was it Juliet who said it to Romeo - 'don't leave me so unsatisfied' - ha, Peter Ross/Robbie Coltrane. I want more.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Who needs prozac when you can spend a hae a daunder in Scotland

Any additional comments?

Thank you Audible for making this book available. A book I think should be the leaving present to every Scots schoolchild. Better still 'required reading'. This is a book which can open eyes and ears and hearts and minds.

Magic! Peter Ross writer Robbie Coltrane reader

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A most pleasing collection of Scottish anecdotes about its people and institutions: obscure or obvious, profound or profane, modern or moth-eaten. All are grist for Ross’s mill. There is much here for the homesick Scot, or for the merely curious.

Each chapter stands in isolation. They were written over a four year period and this does occasionally lead to puzzlement with regard to the exact placing of milestone events that will happen, ‘later in the year’.

Robbie’s narration is not flawless, although I would say that it’s a very minor irritation rather than a hindrance to listening. On a couple of occasions a few words are re-read, indeed a single tongue-tied expletive remains (no time reference given – just to make you pay attention). That notwithstanding Robbie is an excellent choice of narrator; his mimicry of the various Scottish accents of both genders enhanced my enjoyment of this title.

Not just tartan and whisky

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