A book thick enough to stun a sheep

It was blowing a hoolie and pouring with rain, and I was beginning to wonder whether an evening out was such a good idea. Judith Ross Napier was speaking at a John O’Groats Book Festival event, though, and Sally-Ann had kindly agreed to come with me. The subject wasn’t particularly her interest, but she was curious about the festival, so we made our way to the newly refurbished John O’Groats Mill and found a seat in the small conference room.

Judith was talking about In the Shadow of the Laird, a book whose subject had caught my attention as a guide. It is a substantial volume, which she introduced by suggesting it could be used to stun a sheep. That was a rather good way to get us started, and by the time she’d finished her presentation I had questions I wanted to ask. Afterwards, over refreshments, I went to thank her and found she was quite happy to carry on talking. I’d probably have bought the book anyway, but sitting at home with it would never have given me that conversation with the person who had done the research.

That evening gives you a fair idea of what I like about this small festival which offers various events across several months of the year. It has been run by volunteers since it began in 2018, bringing established writers and local talent together around subjects that include Scottish history, Highland culture, folklore and fiction. If you’re used to somewhere like Hay, the difference in scale will be considerable, but in a room this size you can hear an author develop an idea, ask about something that interests you and perhaps continue the conversation afterwards. You come away with more than whatever you’ve written in your notebook or had signed on the title page.

If you’re interested in the festival, I’d have a look through the programme and see what catches your attention. Check the venue as well as the booking arrangements, because some events take place beyond John O’Groats itself, and allow yourself time to stay afterwards if there are refreshments. That was when I got the chance to speak properly with Judith, whose book I’ll return to separately. By then I was very glad we’d made the effort to go out, whatever the weather was doing.

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