In 1810 a literary phenomenon swept through Britain, Europe and beyond: the publication of Sir Walter Scott's epic poem The Lady of the Lake, set in the wild romantic landscape around Loch Katrine and the Trossachs. The world's first international blockbusting bestseller, in terms of sheer publishing sensation nothing like it was seen until the Harry Potter books. Exploring the potent appeal that links books, places, authors and readers, this collection of eleven essays examines tourism in the Trossachs both before and after 1810, and surveys the indigenous Gaelic culture of the area. It also considers how Sir Walter's writings responded to the landscape, history and literature of the region, and traces his impact on the tourists, authors and artists who thronged in his wake.

Set at the time of the Third Crusade (1189 - 92), The Betrothed is the first of Scott's Tales of the Crusaders. The betrothed is Eveline, daughter of a Norman noble, who is a victim of the Crusade in that her intended husband is required by the Church to fulfil his vow to join the war and departs for three years. The full horror of an arranged marriage, and of being a possible prize as men seek to gain possession of her is vividly realised--the heroine is never free; her fate is always determined by the agency of men. And being set on the Marches of Wales, it is not just men but differing cultures that strive for mastery over her. The Betrothed is a problem novel: as Scott was writing he himself was arranging the marriage of his elder son. It is a problem novel too in that it was deeply disliked by Scott's printer and publisher who forced significant changes. What Scott was required to do to meet their objections has been confronted for the first time in this, the first critical edition of the novel.

The third of the Waverley Novels is dominated by two old men, Jonathan Oldbuck (the Antiquary of the title) and the beggar Edie Ochiltree. Together they apply their knowledge of the past to sort out the confusion of the present, and in doing so restore the fortunes of ancient houses. This was Scott's favourite among his novels, and presents a quizzical and amusing view of the profession of history and, by implication, of Scott's own practice as writer and collector.

Do You Struggle With Staying Focused? Do you want to be able to concentrate better? Do you struggle with lack of focus and procrastination starts to settle in? Are you looking to increase your learning capacity? These effective strategies and exercises will improve your learning. You'll be excited to see your productivity and efficiency increase dramatically allowing you to laser in on tasks. Within this book's pages, you will find the answers to these questions and more. Just some of the questions and topics include: *Mental Exercises to Boost Concentration* *Methods for Improving Learning Capacity* *Various Techniques to Improve Your Learning* *How To Improve Your Memory* *10 Tips Specifically For Concentration at Work* This book breaks training down into easy-to-understand modules. It starts from the very beginning of the science of concentration and how to improve it, so you can get great results - and be less distracted!

It starts with some 1960s history, then come to today, some characters appear that lead to two characters from history.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone

When a person is subject to the Mental Health Act, many of his or her principal rights are taken away. It is the function of the nearest relative to compensate for that loss. This fully updated second edition explains how the nearest relative is identified, and how in some cases he or she might be displaced. It also contains a wealth of new case examples and illustrative scenarios, providing a succinct discussion of each significant case and incorporating all the very latest changes to the Mental Health Act. The Nearest Relative Handbook will be an invaluable aid to those who find themselves in a professional relationship with a nearest relative, to those who are or wish to be a nearest relative and to anyone needing to make sense of the relevant statutory provisions.

The second of "Tales of the Crusaders," "The Talisman" is set in Palestine during the Third Crusade (1189 - 92). Scott constructs a story of chivalric action, apparently adopting a medieval romance view of the similarities in the values of both sides. But disguise is the leading theme of the tale: it is not just that characters frequently wear clothing that conceals their identity, but that professions and cultures hide their true nature.

In this novel the Christian leaders are divided by a factious criminality, and are contrasted to the magnanimity and decisiveness of Saladin, the leader of the Moslem armies. In a period when the west was fascinated with the exotic east, Scott represents the Moslem other as more humane than the Christian west.

"The Talisman" is one of Scott's great novels. It is a superb tale. It is also a bold departure as, for the first time, Scott explores not cultural conflict within a country or society but in the opposition of two world religions.