"Our children grew up and left home. Before they could come back, we sold the house and ran away to a foreign land." (pg i)
Thus starts the "runaway" adventures of Jack and Barbara Maloney, who escaped from mortgage, jobs, and house in the US to a crofter's cottage in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. Jack and Barbara realized that they were old enough that their children had left home but young enough that their health was excellent and their parents didn't need special care. If ever they were going to take off on an adventure, this was the time. Jack was a freelance writer so he wasn't completely abandoning his career - just his contacts. Barbara ended up leaving her job at an art gallery. They sold their house and most of its contents, gave away or stored the rest, and headed off to a tiny village called Coigach.
The wee mad road is a reminiscence of their time at the cottage. The basic text is written by Jack with sketches and journal excerpts from Barbara woven in. Having read and re-read Lillian Beckwith's books about her 20 years in the Hebrides, I looked forward to what I hoped would be new but similar stories.
Although the Maloneys will not replace Beckwith, I did enjoy their book. Once again, I felt drawn into a tiny community I have never seen except in my imagination. They spent only 2 years at their rented cottage compared with Beckwith's 20 on Bruach, so there is less time (and fewer books) to get to know the people of the village, but I still feel I know them, nonetheless.
Jack and Barbara were intent on participating in village life and learning whatever new skills that might require. Their willingness to learn without criticising and to look foolish for the sake of helping their neighbours earned them the respect of the locals...and makes for some good stories. I hope you enjoy it too.
The wee mad road : a midlife escape to the Scottish Highlands by Jack and Barbara Maloney. Published in 2008 by Tasora Books. ISBN: 978-1934690024.
If you enjoyed this one, try some of the following titles by Lillian Beckwith: Lightly poached, The hills is lonely, The sea for breakfast, or About my father's business.
The wee mad road is a reminiscence of their time at the cottage. The basic text is written by Jack with sketches and journal excerpts from Barbara woven in. Having read and re-read Lillian Beckwith's books about her 20 years in the Hebrides, I looked forward to what I hoped would be new but similar stories.
Although the Maloneys will not replace Beckwith, I did enjoy their book. Once again, I felt drawn into a tiny community I have never seen except in my imagination. They spent only 2 years at their rented cottage compared with Beckwith's 20 on Bruach, so there is less time (and fewer books) to get to know the people of the village, but I still feel I know them, nonetheless.
Jack and Barbara were intent on participating in village life and learning whatever new skills that might require. Their willingness to learn without criticising and to look foolish for the sake of helping their neighbours earned them the respect of the locals...and makes for some good stories. I hope you enjoy it too.
The wee mad road : a midlife escape to the Scottish Highlands by Jack and Barbara Maloney. Published in 2008 by Tasora Books. ISBN: 978-1934690024.
If you enjoyed this one, try some of the following titles by Lillian Beckwith: Lightly poached, The hills is lonely, The sea for breakfast, or About my father's business.
Tasora Books, 2008 ISBN: 978-1-934690-02-4
