Paperback by Kessock Books, £7.95
Around a year ago, Inverness exile Rab MacWilliam released a book described as what was possibly the first dictionary of Inverness words, phrases and expression. Snow on the Ben: A guide to the ‘real’ Inverness and Highlands, was a smash hit with both Highlanders and exiles, making it a best seller in local stores.
His new book, Views from The Ben, is equally entertaining. Here he gathered together an interesting and amusing collection of stories, songs, poems and jokes all relating to the Highland Capital and its surroundings.
The book started out as being an unusual take on a local quiz book but as he compiled the questions with friends they decided to add a few illustrations and jokes but it’s the quiz questions, and answers, most of which are very tongue-in-cheek, that are at the heart of the
book.
Nice touches include a list of “tcheuchter top 10” songs – songs that have had the lyrics changed with the help of equally well-known musician and banjo player, Cigarbox Don such as Me and Morag MacPhee (Me and Bobby Magee) and The Greig Street Bridge Song (sung to the tune of The Happy Wanderer).
Some of the jokes are very rude but I couldn’t help but laugh all the way through this little book which I’m sure will find it’s way into an awful lot of Highland stockings this Christmas.
