Waverley by Sir Walter Scott

 

Waverley 

by

Sir Walter Scott

Last month as I started my vacation to Scotland, I downloaded an audio book that was a classic Scottish novel named Waverley by Sir Walter Scott.  I didn't get much of it listened to while I was gone but I have been enjoying it since I have arrived back home.  It is a long audio book lasting longer than 17 hours.  The first one fourth to one third of the book drags and it was hard to keep going.  There is much detail back ground work being laid in the beginning of the book.  But the last three quarters of the book is delightful.  I was sorry to have it end.  The story will stay with. me a long time.  It was written in the early 1800s so has some complicated language and some old fashioned ideas.  For example,  the woman who is explained to be the best candidate for a bride is not the  woman who was not only beautiful but also intelligent.  Instead it was  the one who although pretty enough,  wasn't very bright but was good hearted.   Over all though it was a very good book and one of the first historical novels ever written.  Sir Walter Scott did a great job writing it and it deserves its status of a classic.  The main character of the book is named Waverley and is a British soldier who is sent to Scotland.  He falls in love with a Scottish girl and defects to the Jacobite cause.  He has a lot of adventures but most everyone has a happy ending as Waverly is pardoned and marries the love of his life.  Unfortunately the man who becomes Waverley's best friend in Scotland is executed and this friend's  beautiful and bright sister ends up in a convent in France.  Be sure to click on the book title and author's name above to follow links to more information and enjoy the video that follows.