The three stories in this single volume are only related in the sense that their themes and ideas are interlinked. The river which runs through them is the same, in that it flows with Gaelic, with the spiritual power and possession of the land, with the pain of exile, and with the search for God.

The first book, Dan, tells of the last day in the life of a hill farmer as he walks the circumference of his land remembering the events that have shaped his destiny. He is a symbol of that land himself.

In The Summer is Ended it is a young boy who considers his life thus far as he prepares to leave for university in the city. He is mourning the loss of his best friend who drowned some months before; young Cam seeks answers to his questions and confusion from the people who have come to make up his Argyll world. In the final story, West of the World, one of the last surviving St Kildans remembers his island childhood and the story of exile he carries inside.

Dan was nominated for the Saltire Award; West of the World has been translated into French and will be published by Autrement in Paris. There are school notes accompanying the trilogy; it’s particularly intended for use with upper secondary students.