This book admits to being "slight," and the charge is fair. It seems even to be a little ashamed of itself; it does not list a copyright date.

That being said, it is an engaging little book, airily written. If you think of the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie as a romance, this is a nice telling. The problem comes in if you want to be sure you have it right. Not only does it lack footnotes, it doesn't even have a bibliography. The preface lists some sources, but the author admits he has "given references only when it seems unavoidable." The whole thing seems like it isn't quite all there.

It's still fun. But you'll never quite know how far to trust it. ( )