First published in 1969, An Orkney Tapestry, George Mackay Brown''s seminal work, is a unique look at Orkney through the eye of a poet. Originally commissioned by his publisher as an introduction to the Orkney Islands, Brown approached the writing from a unique perspective and went on to produce a rich fusion of ballad, folk tale, short story, drama and environmental writing. The book, written at an early stage in the author-s career, explores themes that appear in his later work and was a landmark in Brown-s development as a writer. Above all, it is a celebration of Orkney''s people, language and history. This edition reproduces Sylvia Wishart-s beautiful illustrations, commissioned for the original hardback.Made available again for the first time in over 40 years, this new edition sits alongside Nan Shepherd-s The Living Mountain as an important precursor of environmental writing by the likes of Kathleen Jamie, Robert Macfarlane, Malachy Tallack and, most recently, Amy Liptrot.
