This book was recommended to me as a good read before a trip to Skye. Although it's not set on Skye, it is set just over the water in Sandaig, and the Ring of Bright Water Visitor Centre is just over the bridge from Skye, with Eilean Ban, the island that was Gavin Maxwell's last home, being a support for the bridge itself. I knew nothing about Maxwell himself, and thought I would lose nothing by reading an abridged version of his first book, The Ring of Bright Water, but actually I could tell there were bits missing. Nevertheless, this is an excellent introduction to Maxwell's life and work.

These books are primarily about Maxwell's move to Sandaig, a place he called Camusfearna in the books, a remote place in western Scotland. There he decides to have tame otters as pets, although he finds out that otters are never that tame! His stories of life with the otters are wonderful, but unfortunately more than one came to a sticky end.

As somebody who prefers much more contemporary books, this was slightly hard work for me to read but I also found these books to be fascinating reads. I enjoy visiting western Scotland and found the descriptions of the area very interesting. More than one person has described Maxwell to me as enigmatic and I think that is an accurate description. He seemed to have a wide scope of interest and expertise and a number of personal issues which I suppose contributed to his seeming enigmatic.

A stimulating book, which requires some concentration, but is worth the effort. ( )