Industrial Nation: Work, Culture and Society in Scotland, 1800-Present (Paperback)

An ambitious - and in some respects a pioneering -- book ! this history of the working class in Scotland manages to weave together an impressive array of material, drawn - like the illustrations - from all parts of the country, and contains some shrewd insights...Scholars interested in almost every aspect of working-class life in Scotland will find a lot to think about ... A well-presented, soundly based and stimulating survey of an important subject. Masterly ... space does not permit a full consideration of all the manifold themes in this noteworthy book ... Indeed, I enjoyed reading it twice, in order to gain the full benefits which it offers. An important book. Although the focus is Scotland, Knox sets this lucid account firmly within the broader historiography of recent British labour and social history ... Knox's ability to summarise key debates and issues, which he does periodically before examining the Scottish evidence, makes the text especially useful for an undergraduate readership ... As a fresh introduction to modern Scotland, and in its balance, insight and reader-friendly organization, this book surpasses the existing literature. This is a stimulating work, reflecting the latest research on the subjects, much of it by Knox himself ... It has no real rival, particularly for the modern period, and is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand Scotland's past and present - and what may happen in the twenty-first century. A broad overview of the political, cultural, social and economic situation of industrial Scotland over the last two centuries ... an informative introduction to a lengthy and important era of recent Scottish history. An ambitious - and in some respects a pioneering -- book ! this history of the working class in Scotland manages to weave together an impressive array of material, drawn - like the illustrations - from all parts of the country, and contains some shrewd insights...Scholars interested in almost every aspect of working-class life in Scotland will find a lot to think about ... A well-presented, soundly based and stimulating survey of an important subject. Masterly ... space does not permit a full consideration of all the manifold themes in this noteworthy book ... Indeed, I enjoyed reading it twice, in order to gain the full benefits which it offers. An important book. Although the focus is Scotland, Knox sets this lucid account firmly within the broader historiography of recent British labour and social history ... Knox's ability to summarise key debates and issues, which he does periodically before examining the Scottish evidence, makes the text especially useful for an undergraduate readership ... As a fresh introduction to modern Scotland, and in its balance, insight and reader-friendly organization, this book surpasses the existing literature. This is a stimulating work, reflecting the latest research on the subjects, much of it by Knox himself ... It has no real rival, particularly for the modern period, and is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand Scotland's past and present - and what may happen in the twenty-first century. A broad overview of the political, cultural, social and economic situation of industrial Scotland over the last two centuries ... an informative introduction to a lengthy and important era of recent Scottish history.

This is a social and cultural history of Scotland's industrial rise and relative decline, concerned above all with the leaders and workers (industrial, political, manufacturing, mining and engineering, as well as religious, union, educational and moral) who produced the first and suffered in the second. Political, social and economic events, movements and trends are welded together in a well-ordered and vivid narrative. It assumes almost no prior knowledge, and introduces the reader gently to the central debates about the nature and course of modern Scottish History. The style is clear and spare - with frequent dry, witty asides; it will be ideal for the student, but will equally appeal to the general reader interested in modern Scottish history. It is illustrated with maps, photographs and drawings, with guides to further reading and a full index. Key Features * The first systematic and economic history of modern Scotland * A vivid chronological narrative account * Generously illustrated with contemporary illustrations