TITLE: Scottish by Inclination
AUTHOR: Barbara Henderson
PUB DATE: 23 June 2021
PUBLISHER: Luath Press
GENRE: Non- fiction
‘Gradually I forgot I was a foreigner.’
Barbara Henderson has been Scottish by inclination for 30 years. She fell in love with Scotland and its people when she left Germany at the age of 19. Now a children’s author, storyteller and teacher in the Highlands, she gives us a lively glimpse of Scotland through the eyes of an EU immigrant – from her first ceilidh to Brexit and the choppy seas of citizenship.
Scottish by Inclination also celebrates the varied contributions of 30 remarkable Europeans – beer brewers, entrepreneurs, academics, artists and activists – who have chosen to call Scotland home.
‘All voices matter and deserve to belong.
Belonging is more than a privilege.
Belonging, I am now convinced, can be a choice.’
I’m absolutely honoured to be taking part in the Blog Tour for this incredible book. This is Barbara Henderson’s first work of non-fiction for adults and what an amazing debut. Barbara has written several novels for children including ‘Fir for Luck’, ‘The Siege of Caerlaverock’ and The Chessmen Thief’.
‘Scottish by Inclination’ is a collection of stories from 30 Europeans who have made Scotland their home and who proudly learned about its culture and are helping to preserve it. Barbara Henderson tells us of her own experience about being an EU immigrant and her feelings about becoming a citizen. Her writing is eloquent and engaging and really captures the nuance of what can be complicated and conflicted feeling people have about their national and personal identities.
Every single interviewee represents an immigrant’s story that becomes part the Scottish society and everyone of these people was welcomed into this country with open arms and they all speak highly of the Scottish people. Brexit had a massive impact on their lives and for a moment they couldn’t believe what was happening during the referendum and many were left speechless at the time.
In this book each of the EU citizens open up about their fears and their thoughts on the matter but they couldn’t be more proud to be able to call Scotland home with its diverse culture and friendly population. Barbara uses a quote in her book that I will never forget and I want to share it with you all;
All voices matter and deserve to belong.
Belonging is more than a privilege.
Belonging, I am now convinced, can be a choice.
I started reading this book as soon as it arrived and I just couldn’t put it down. Every single person who contributed to this book deserves to be heard. This is a book that I highly recommend everyone to read because what is happening in our Scottish society is important and matters beyond its borders.
Shelf Life 
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