The Other Side of Stone by Linda Cracknell
The latest work by Saltire-shortlisted Linda Cracknell, The Other Side of Stone centres around a Perthshire woollen mill, revisiting it over three centuries through characters as diverse as a 19th century stone mason and modern-day architect. The primary timeline follows Catharine, a cotton spinner from Paisley and fierce suffragette, who has followed her husband home to the village where he's taken on a job at the local mill. Both militant members of the Labour Movement, it is through her developing connection to the mill that the intricate interweaving of the other stories is revealed. While fictional, the novella draws on many real histories of local mills, and offers a fascinating insight into the long-term impact of industrialisation upon rural Scotland, as well as the struggle for women's rights.
'A remarkable novella, interweaving threads of disparate lives over two centuriesJust as the tweeds that are produced at the mill - first by rural workers and water power, later by deafening machinery - have their own unique weft and warp, so the loosely connected tales come together to create a satisfying whole, encompassing personal relationships, political upheavals and the shadow of war.' The Scotsman; 'History and imagination embrace in ways that are both rewarding and informative. This collection is very simply extraordinary: beautiful and fun to read.' Sara Maitland, author of A Book of Silence; 'Linda Cracknell's The Other Side of Stone is a beautiful and haunting collection of stories centred on the history of a Perthshire woollen mill. At once a curse, a lament, a radical cry, each narrative thread weaves its magic to make a spellbinding whole. A beguiling and perfectly crafted novella coloured by the bracken and the bluebells of a Scottish autumn and spring.' Mary Paulson-Ellis, author of The Other Mrs Walker
Linda Cracknell is the author of the Saltire-shortlisted 'Life Drawing' (Neil Wilson, 2000), 'Call of the Undertow' (Freight, 2013), and Doubling Back: Ten Paths Trodden in Memory (Freight, 2014), a Radio 4 Book of the Week.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781838080013 |
| ISBN 10 | 1838080015 |
| Title | The Other Side of Stone |
| Author | Linda Cracknell |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Taproot Press |
| Year published | 2021-03-31 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |