- Hardcover: 220 pages
- Publisher: Alasdair Ross McKerlich (16 Dec 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0955790409
- ISBN-13: 978-0955790409
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 15 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,763,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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More About the Author
Product Description
Book Description
This book is intended to be an easy read and is accompanied by around 120 photographs illustrating the whole story. It tells of living and working in the Highlands and the struggle to build and live on a remote Scottish island and the restoration of a beautiful old building. The book contains several chapters telling the story of the restoration of the Chapel; the problems of obtaining funding; the struggle with the weather; of how to deliver both men and material to the island; and the fight for survival
From the Author
The Author of this book would like to put on record his grateful thanks to his wife Annie, who assisted in the research of this book and for putting up with him, especially during the night when he would waken up and switch on the bedroom light to write down ideas that had come into his head. Thanks also to Julie Sinderberry for the cover design; to Lynne Kennedy, my next door neighbour for the setting out; to Peter Urpeth, and his anonymous assessor; and finally to the members of my wider family for their encouraging support.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the true story of how the little man fought back.
Ross McKerlich's first-hand account of how his small, family-run firm of builders responded to the challenge to restore St Edward's Chapel on the Isle of Canna is gripping. With clarity and simplicity he tells us exactly how events unfolded from the moment he got the call from an architect acting on behalf of the National Trust for Scotland, the to the final outcome - with no holds barred.
The epic struggles and sheer feat of endurance battling the elements to get his men and materials to this far-flung island are mind-boggling. Even his wife and two grown-up children rolled up their sleeves and did their bit. Indeed, it would seem that Ross's wife, Annie, went above and beyond the call of "in sickness and in health" and put her fear of the sea and heights to one side as she battled side by side with her husband to ensure work continued on the chapel and their workforce were kept dry, warm and fed. If the architects and NTS had been half as supportive the final result might have been very different.
They say every one has a book inside them, and this book is so obviously written from the heart. I suspect if Mr McKerlich had had a crystal ball and could have seen into the future, he'd have said thanks, but no thanks - and saved himself, his men and his wife and family a deal of heartache at what was to follow.
In these days of tales of cowboy builders, it is heartening to read of a group of men - and women - so determined to succeed against the odds doing the best they could and more - despite the apparent ignorance and sheer bloody-mindedness of the architects and NTS who, should they ever have the nerve to read this book, one would hope they would hang their heads in shame.
Ross McKerlich's first-hand account of how his small, family-run firm of builders responded to the challenge to restore St Edward's Chapel on the Isle of Canna is gripping. With clarity and simplicity he tells us exactly how events unfolded from the moment he got the call from an architect acting on behalf of the National Trust for Scotland, the to the final outcome - with no holds barred.
The epic struggles and sheer feat of endurance battling the elements to get his men and materials to this far-flung island are mind-boggling. Even his wife and two grown-up children rolled up their sleeves and did their bit. Indeed, it would seem that Ross's wife, Annie, went above and beyond the call of "in sickness and in health" and put her fear of the sea and heights to one side as she battled side by side with her husband to ensure work continued on the chapel and their workforce were kept dry, warm and fed. If the architects and NTS had been half as supportive the final result might have been very different.
They say every one has a book inside them, and this book is so obviously written from the heart. I suspect if Mr McKerlich had had a crystal ball and could have seen into the future, he'd have said thanks, but no thanks - and saved himself, his men and his wife and family a deal of heartache at what was to follow.
In these days of tales of cowboy builders, it is heartening to read of a group of men - and women - so determined to succeed against the odds doing the best they could and more - despite the apparent ignorance and sheer bloody-mindedness of the architects and NTS who, should they ever have the nerve to read this book, one would hope they would hang their heads in shame.
1 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I would be more moved by the last reviewers comments on the heartbreaking effort put in by this heroic group of men, besides whom Shackleton's efforts were obviously trivial and who should all obviously be awarded Victoria Crosses, if he had mentioned that having spent over a million pounds of government and lottery money the place has leaked like a seive ever since and that it was closed without a single student ever using it and after Princess Anne ( Yes THAT Princes Anne) had hosted a huge party to open it.
Sure it's an interesting book and you have to congratulate the writer for bothering to write it, and I'm sure it wasn't all his fault, but give me a break let's have a wee bit of objectivity here.
Sure it's an interesting book and you have to congratulate the writer for bothering to write it, and I'm sure it wasn't all his fault, but give me a break let's have a wee bit of objectivity here.
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