Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
New American Library (1964), Mass Market Paperback, 576 pages
Description
Edward Waverly enjoyed a privileged upbringing, despite his family's drama. Coming of age during a political uprising, Edward's time is split between his father and his uncle, who each have opposing political views, which causes a rift in the family.
User reviews
LibraryThing member thorold
Waverley is another of those books that comes with a lot of literary baggage, so that it is difficult to sit down and read it on its own terms. It was the first massive best-seller; the Hary Potter of the early nineteenth century; the book that established the novel as the dominant literary form of
The story itself is simple, and to modern eyes rather predictable: a naive, romantically inclined young Englishman goes to Scotland in 1745 to join his regiment, makes friends with some quaint and Romantic Highlanders, and finds his loyalties divided when he is caught up in a Jacobite rising. We get lots of stunning scenery, wild romantic characters, battles, pursuits and escapes, treachery and friendship, bagpipes, tartan, and all the rest. But the thing you forget about Scott (or at least I tend to) is that politically, he's not a Romantic at all. The message of the book is that pursuing abstract ideals and personal inclinations at the cost of civil order and the rule of law only leads to death and destruction. I suppose that's why Scott remained popular throughout the nineteenth century. The conservatism itself might not appeal so much in the 21st century, but the degree of ironic detachment it lends to the story is rather attractive.
The real joy of the book is in the details, though. It's worth reading the book just to meet the Baron of Bradwardine and his Bailie, and there are a host of less important but equally acutely drawn minor characters. I usually find dialect an irritation in a novel, but in Scott it is all part of the fun, and it is used cleverly and effectively to add to the characterisation. The Penguin edition has a long glossary in the back, but with a bit of imagination it should be easy enough for most readers to decode what the obscurer Scots or Gaelic (or Latin and French, for that matter) words mean from the context.
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the next two centuries; the first real historical novel; the book that made Scotland fashionably Romantic; the only novel to have a railway station named after it, etc., etc.The story itself is simple, and to modern eyes rather predictable: a naive, romantically inclined young Englishman goes to Scotland in 1745 to join his regiment, makes friends with some quaint and Romantic Highlanders, and finds his loyalties divided when he is caught up in a Jacobite rising. We get lots of stunning scenery, wild romantic characters, battles, pursuits and escapes, treachery and friendship, bagpipes, tartan, and all the rest. But the thing you forget about Scott (or at least I tend to) is that politically, he's not a Romantic at all. The message of the book is that pursuing abstract ideals and personal inclinations at the cost of civil order and the rule of law only leads to death and destruction. I suppose that's why Scott remained popular throughout the nineteenth century. The conservatism itself might not appeal so much in the 21st century, but the degree of ironic detachment it lends to the story is rather attractive.
The real joy of the book is in the details, though. It's worth reading the book just to meet the Baron of Bradwardine and his Bailie, and there are a host of less important but equally acutely drawn minor characters. I usually find dialect an irritation in a novel, but in Scott it is all part of the fun, and it is used cleverly and effectively to add to the characterisation. The Penguin edition has a long glossary in the back, but with a bit of imagination it should be easy enough for most readers to decode what the obscurer Scots or Gaelic (or Latin and French, for that matter) words mean from the context.
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LibraryThing member GWTyson
Walter Scott continues to amaze me. The fact that he invented the genre of "historical fiction" isn't even his greatest accomplishment. The fact is, he was a best-selling author in his time - so much so that his books provided him with two separate fortunes. He lost his first one in an ill-fated
Although he is best known for his fiction, Scott also wrote books that pertained to Scottish folklore and, indeed, played in key role in preserving that portion of Scotland's cultural heritage. One of his works - an alleged transcription of a minister's account of his life with the fairies - is a classic of world folklore and is arguably the most celebrated work of folklore that came out of Scotland. (It's published today as "The Secret Commonwealth of Fairies" although that wasn't it's original title.) Another of his works is a treatise on the role of ghosts in Scottish criminal trials. (Scott himself was a lawyer.)
Scott was also a poet who accomplished the astonishing fete (at least by today's standards) of writing a poem ("The Lady of the Lake") that became a world-wide best seller. (Note that she isn't the Lady of the Lake from the Arthurian legend.)
"Waverly" was Scott's first novel and was literally an overnight success. It is typical of the novels that came after it: a romantic theme that is soaked in Scottish history; a strong plot; vivid characters; and a basic respect for human frailties and differences. It also showcases Scott's command of the English language - his descriptions of people and places can be very evocative. I might add that he uses a lot of big words that we don't use today even though most of them are still in the dictionary. (I suspect that, although literacy back then was less common than it is today, it probably attained a higher average level.)
"Waverly" is a good place to begin if you want to test the waters with Scott. It is set against one of the most romantic and tragic periods of Scottish history - the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 that attempted to restore a Stuart king to the English throne. That "lost cause" resulted in the destruction of the native Scottish aristocracy and many of the highland clans. And if you get hooked on Scott, there's some very good news: he wrote enough great novels to keep you reading for years.
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publishing venture that left him with crushing debts. However, he refused to declare bankruptsy and stiff his many creditors. Instead, he doubled down on his writing in order to sell even more books. At the time of his death, he'd repaid every penny that he owed.Although he is best known for his fiction, Scott also wrote books that pertained to Scottish folklore and, indeed, played in key role in preserving that portion of Scotland's cultural heritage. One of his works - an alleged transcription of a minister's account of his life with the fairies - is a classic of world folklore and is arguably the most celebrated work of folklore that came out of Scotland. (It's published today as "The Secret Commonwealth of Fairies" although that wasn't it's original title.) Another of his works is a treatise on the role of ghosts in Scottish criminal trials. (Scott himself was a lawyer.)
Scott was also a poet who accomplished the astonishing fete (at least by today's standards) of writing a poem ("The Lady of the Lake") that became a world-wide best seller. (Note that she isn't the Lady of the Lake from the Arthurian legend.)
"Waverly" was Scott's first novel and was literally an overnight success. It is typical of the novels that came after it: a romantic theme that is soaked in Scottish history; a strong plot; vivid characters; and a basic respect for human frailties and differences. It also showcases Scott's command of the English language - his descriptions of people and places can be very evocative. I might add that he uses a lot of big words that we don't use today even though most of them are still in the dictionary. (I suspect that, although literacy back then was less common than it is today, it probably attained a higher average level.)
"Waverly" is a good place to begin if you want to test the waters with Scott. It is set against one of the most romantic and tragic periods of Scottish history - the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 that attempted to restore a Stuart king to the English throne. That "lost cause" resulted in the destruction of the native Scottish aristocracy and many of the highland clans. And if you get hooked on Scott, there's some very good news: he wrote enough great novels to keep you reading for years.
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LibraryThing member Willow316
Waverly is about a way of life that was gone by the time Scott wrote this book, and about the end of that way of life. It is told from Waverly's view, an Englishman who finds himself supporting "Bonnie Prince Charlie." Scott does this because he also would have been an outsider, looking into the
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clan system. He even refers to this distance, periodically noting that "it has been sixty years since" such and such a thing could have been witnessed. Ostensibly the book is about the uprising of '45, but if so, he goes into remarkable little detail about the battles. The hero even misses Cullonden entirely. What is emphasized is the death of his friend MacIvor, a key laird, and his sister, which is symbolic of the death of the highland way of life. Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
I read this in Britain some years ago and enjoyed it. I was struck by the fact that although Scott's novels probably contributed to the revival of romantic Jacobite historical novels, his own view was a commonsense Whig outlook.
LibraryThing member wordebeast
More to Scott than Ivanhoe. Actually gets you hooked.
LibraryThing member boo262
A difficult book to begin with, but trust me, stick with it and you'll soon get into Scott's style. I was completely absorbed halfway through Volume II, and couldn't put the book down during Volume III.
LibraryThing member pacrome
Very enjoyable read. Not too long, not too short. Provides enough historical background, but not in much detail. I found myself looking up the Jacobite Rebellion a few times on Wikipedia as I read through the book -- it's not necessary to do so but I found it interesting. A good read for fans of
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historical fiction since Scott is often called the first historical novelist. Show Less
LibraryThing member dylkit
Well, there is a story in there somewhere. Unfortunately WS's writing gets in the way. I find it quite easy to believe that he got paid by the word, whether that is true or not.
I think it would actually work as a comedy, there is a lot of humour in it. Except for the hanging/drawing and quartering
I think it would actually work as a comedy, there is a lot of humour in it. Except for the hanging/drawing and quartering
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part. Though if it were done in Mel Gibson-stylee it could be a laugh as well... Show Less
LibraryThing member P_S_Patrick
Waverley was Walter Scott's his first novel, and indeed is normally regarded as the first example of historical fiction in our modern conception of it – that being a story based on real historical events, with accurate details of customs, behaviours, and language of that time, but peopled with
Waverley was published around sixty years after the events it purports to describe, which centre on the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. This was an important period in British history in which the last battle was fought on British soil - primarly between the Highland clans who would return the exiled Bonnie Prince Charlie to the throne of his ancestors, and the government supporting the reigning monarch. Our hero of the novel – Edward Waverley, is caught up in these events, and torn betwen his loyalties to these two sides. Most of the novel is set in Scotland, and provides a romantic and detailed vision of the Highland way of life, customs, and characters, which were largely obliterated following the historical events of the novel. Scott himself was a keen historian of Scotland, and this novel benefits from his extensive research into the lost Scottish culture which it so richly here preserves. Indeed, these novels (Waverley, and the following novels by Scott) set off something of a craze during their days for all things Scottish, and are in large part resonsible for the image of Scotland held this day in the popular mind.
But this alone is not why Waverley deserves to be read more than it currently is. This book might face criticism of being over-detailed and not getting on with the story in places, but what we gain is more valuable. The characters here are not only memorable and individual, but they are well developed in their personalities, motivations, and show good observation and understanding of the wide range of human behaviours, personal ways of thinking, and outlooks on life. Balzac, also a master in this sort of characterisation, was a fan of Scott for this reason. Together with the appreciation of the beauty of the Scottish landscape, romantic adventures, and the inherent interest in the historical events of this time, this makes Waverley a fascinating novel for the reader if they can bear with Scott's sometimes digressional style.
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some fictitious characters and plot events to set the main historical ones in a more compelling context.Waverley was published around sixty years after the events it purports to describe, which centre on the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. This was an important period in British history in which the last battle was fought on British soil - primarly between the Highland clans who would return the exiled Bonnie Prince Charlie to the throne of his ancestors, and the government supporting the reigning monarch. Our hero of the novel – Edward Waverley, is caught up in these events, and torn betwen his loyalties to these two sides. Most of the novel is set in Scotland, and provides a romantic and detailed vision of the Highland way of life, customs, and characters, which were largely obliterated following the historical events of the novel. Scott himself was a keen historian of Scotland, and this novel benefits from his extensive research into the lost Scottish culture which it so richly here preserves. Indeed, these novels (Waverley, and the following novels by Scott) set off something of a craze during their days for all things Scottish, and are in large part resonsible for the image of Scotland held this day in the popular mind.
But this alone is not why Waverley deserves to be read more than it currently is. This book might face criticism of being over-detailed and not getting on with the story in places, but what we gain is more valuable. The characters here are not only memorable and individual, but they are well developed in their personalities, motivations, and show good observation and understanding of the wide range of human behaviours, personal ways of thinking, and outlooks on life. Balzac, also a master in this sort of characterisation, was a fan of Scott for this reason. Together with the appreciation of the beauty of the Scottish landscape, romantic adventures, and the inherent interest in the historical events of this time, this makes Waverley a fascinating novel for the reader if they can bear with Scott's sometimes digressional style.
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LibraryThing member mbmackay
Sir Walter Scott's first novel, although published anonymously - none of his novels were acknowledged until late in his life.
Tells the story of an Englishman who comes to Scotland with an English regiment but ends up fighting on the side of the Jacobites against the crown. As a novel, it is most
Tells the story of an Englishman who comes to Scotland with an English regiment but ends up fighting on the side of the Jacobites against the crown. As a novel, it is most
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interesting for the background of the Scots and highlanders of the time. The edition I read had extensive introductions and prefaces which helped putting the book and its contents into context. Show Less
LibraryThing member john257hopper
This first novel by Sir Walter Scott is often described as the first historical novel ever. While I have read and quite enjoyed three other Scott novels, Ivanhoe, Kenilworth, and Rob Roy, I could not get into this. It is over rich in cultural references and Scots dialect, almost like a brain dump,
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at the expense of any kind of plot. So I have given up around a quarter of the way through and I will not find out what happens to English officer Edward Waverley when he is posted north of the border at the time of the Young Pretender's uprising of 1745. No rating. Show Less
LibraryThing member kazan
The author takes way to long to set up the story which is all of Volume 1. The second half is where all the meat is.
Subjects
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1814
ISBN
none