{"product_id":"the-sair-road-scots-les-mcconnell-9781907676970","title":"The Sair Road (Scots)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Sair Road\u003c\/i\u003e written by \u003cb\u003eWilliam Hershaw\u003c\/b\u003e and illustrated by \u003cb\u003eLes McConnell\u003c\/b\u003e is a poem sequence written in Scots based on the Stations of the Cross and set in Fife during the coal mining strikes of the twentieth century. It is being published by Grace Note Publications in 2018 to co-incide with the exhibition \u003ci\u003eHewers of Coal and Verse\u003c\/i\u003e at the \u003cb\u003eLochgelly Centre\u003c\/b\u003e which will celebrate the life and work of the Cardenden dramatist and playwright \u003cb\u003eJoe Corrie\u003c\/b\u003e, (1894 -1968) as well as the lesser known miner poets \u003cb\u003ePeter \"Pindar\" Leslie\u003c\/b\u003e, (1835 - 1905) and \u003cb\u003eRobert McLeod\u003c\/b\u003e, (1876 - 1958). Les McConnell's drawings of the Stations of the Cross will form part of the exhibition which runs from 4th of May until the 8th of August, 2018 at the Lochgelly Centre, Fife\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eBlessit are thaim wi a drouth for richt\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Sair Road\u003c\/i\u003e by William Hershaw pays tribute to miners and their communities, setting their tragedies and resilience in the context of the last days of Christ. The structure of the Stations of the Cross (plus a song and some fine Beatitudes by way of conclusion) works well. And there's a helpful introduction, setting out his purpose.\u003cbr\u003e His rich, authentic Scots is well-suited to express this drouth for richt. That he can find humour as well as pathos as the story relentlessly unfolds, is a measure of his skill. \u003cbr\u003eLes McConnell's drawings are a potent addition to the words - transforming the biblical narrative to a 20th century Fife coal-mining landscape.\u003cbr\u003e With their powerful words and images these two artists have revealed the dignity of a mining community. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eKing Coal was a bad old cuif: \u003cbr\u003eSpine-snapper, baa-squeezer, jaw-drapper, \u003cbr\u003eKnee-capper, airm-twister, dislocater, wife-slapper, \u003cbr\u003eBairn-beater, son-stealer, saul-pauchler, undertaker, \u003cbr\u003eDoo-strangler, match-fixer, \u003cbr\u003eCompensation-refuser, inquest-wrangler ...\u003cbr\u003e... Despair-warseler, telegram-bringer, \u003cbr\u003e(Amang other hings).\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview by Christine DeLuca\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWilliam Hershaw \u003c\/b\u003eevokes the downfall - or rather, the planned and systematic destruction - of Scotland's mining industry in plain authentic Scots, using verse of which the measured and disciplined tread highlights, rather than veiling, the anger which the story arouses; and in an audacious but devastatingly effective move, presents the narrative as a re-enactment of the Biblical account of Christ's journey to the Cross. \u003ci\u003eThe Sair Road\u003c\/i\u003e is a noble memorial to a proud but doomed part of Scottish social history; but it is also a triumphant affirmation, unexpected in modern literature, of faith in God and in the indomitable strength of human nature. The poems, together with Les McConnell's memorable illustrations, form one of the outstanding works of contemporary Scottish literature. Review by \u003cb\u003eDerrick McClure\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Les McConnell,William Hershaw\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 190767697X\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781907676970\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Grace Note\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 12\/30\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 90\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.37lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.25h x 7.50w x 0.19d","brand":"Les McConnell","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48440105533695,"sku":"9781907676970","price":16.33,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_52acb7f8-de86-463d-b51f-d91b4f2e42e2.jpg?v=1777180359","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-sair-road-scots-les-mcconnell-9781907676970","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}