The Hills Is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith is the author's semi-autobiographical account of time living on an island in the Hebrides off the coast of Scotland. Ms. Beckwith's physician advises her after an illness to go away to the country for a long rest. She advertises seeking a place for her rest cure and eventually ends up standing with her bags on the wharf in the middle of a storm waiting for the ferry to carry her through the waves and rain to her new landlady's croft, a small farm.
Not an auspicious beginning.
Her prospective landlady, Morag McDugan, sent a letter in response to Ms. Beckwith's enquiry about the quietness of the place to still any qualms she might have: Surely it is that quiet here even the sheeps themselves on the hills is lonely...hence the title of the book.
I love a book like this. Full of odd characters, strange (to me) customs, and all taking place in a rural setting. Bruach, her fictional village, is not a place I would chose for a rest cure though. The housing is primitive and the farming life is hard. And there seems to be a lack of green vegetables although there are plenty of turnips.
But Ms. Beckwith, or Miss Peckwitt as she is known in the book, seems to fall into the rhythm of the days and nights. She attends the local church services, finds her way to a cattle auction, tries her hand at fishing, absorbs a spot of Gaelic, totes pails of coal, welcomes the village's first public telephone kiosk, and learns to love porridge. Some of her activites don't sound too restful.
There are seven books (my library has three) in this Hebridean series which gives me plenty of adventures to look forward to. I read that in real life it was the author and her husband who moved to the islands in 1942 (although the tales take place after WWII). She must have loved it there because she stayed for twenty years.
Eventually the books relate Ms. Beckwith's experiences as she ends up buying and running her own croft the stories of which I am sure will only add to my merriment.
Thanks to Joan for this recommendation! What a treat.
I love Lillian Beckwith. If you can get hold of her novel Green Hand, it's well worth a read!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I had never heard of Ms. Beckwith before, but better late than never. My library doesn't have 'Green Hand' but I will add it to my search list. Thanks.
DeleteI think I could happily spend a summer there (or anywhere in Scotland for that matter), but I'm not sure about their winters. I'd like to go somewhere warmer for those. :)
ReplyDeleteAgreed! I was struck by how primitive life was on the island. Think 'Lark Rise to Candleford' or 'Cranford' only in the 20th century!
DeleteI've not heard of Ms. Beckwith before, either, though this sounds like something I'd really enjoy. As I read the first couple of paragraphs of your post, I found myself devoutly wishing that I could take a "rest cure" someplace--a couple of weeks at least where I'm not expected to do anything except rest, relax, and recharge. Interesting--perhaps it's time for a vacation.
ReplyDeleteOh, Kathy, I thought the same thing! Rest cure sounds so, well, restful. In our society, 'rest' has become a nasty word! Don't you long for the time when someone said to you, "It's time to go to bed now. Sleep well."!
DeleteWhat I miss is being forced to take a nap! :)
DeleteHa! Maybe there is a phone app, Kathy, that will instruct you at the same time every afternoon to do so!
DeleteI'm so glad you liked the book. I haven't read all the books in the series, but I hope to do that soon. Yes, her 'rest cure' sounds much too strenuous to me! I have a chronic condition and have a fantasy that fresh air, fewer obligations, long restful sleep, and back to nature would cure me.
ReplyDeleteWell, Joan, a rest cure couldn't hurt! I am thinking about planning one for myself...mostly the 'rest' part as I am not sure what could be cured. General malaise, perhaps?
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