Robert "Mac" MacKenzie
Helpful votes received on reviews:
100% (3 of 3)
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada
In My Own Words:
I'm a traditional English & Gaelic singer who sings unaccompanied in the Seann Nòs (old style). I'm also an Uilleann Piper, multi-instrumentalist, writer, amateur ethnomusicologist, philosopher-by-nature, dreamer, slow lane guy, ragamuffin, Arts Farmer, homeschool Dad and follower of Christ who continually falls down and gets up again, falls down and gets up again, falls down and gets up again.… Read moreI'm a traditional English & Gaelic singer who sings unaccompanied in the Seann Nòs (old style). I'm also an Uilleann Piper, multi-instrumentalist, writer, amateur ethnomusicologist, philosopher-by-nature, dreamer, slow lane guy, ragamuffin, Arts Farmer, homeschool Dad and follower of Christ who continually falls down and gets up again, falls down and gets up again, falls down and gets up again.
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Contributions
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This little book will warm your heart and transport you to another place and time, with stories of life on the Isle of Lewis at the turn of the 20th century. At the heart of Peat Fire Memories are stories and storytelling, something truly dear to the Gael. The little vignettes in this book preserve for us a time and way of life, just prior to a period of rapid change in the Hebrides, where things perhaps weren't necessarily less challenging, but certainly were much less complicated. A good, light read for anyone with connections to Lewis, the Hebrides or who is simply interested in Hebridean culture.
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Words cannot describe what this book means to me! The first time I opened it and began to skim the pages, read some of the stories, and look at the pictures, I began to weep. Since then, it has been read and re-read and still holds a coveted place on my bookshelf. For anyone connected to the Isle of Lewis or any of the Gaelic speaking areas of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, this book is nothing short of pure gold! Children Of The Blackhouse is a treasury of skillfully told, real-life stories that mark a period of rapid change in the Hebrides. The stories are conveyed in a heart-warming, entertaining style that will immerse you in a Gaelic-speaking world rich in history, culture,… Read more
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
If you are a student of the Gaelic language (or you are related to someone learning Gaelic), you'll find yourself reaching for this book time and time again. For the rank beginner, the first two sections will be more useful than the others and students may need to 'pick and choose' a little from the other chapters until a higher fluency level is achieved, but combined with a good Gaelic teacher, a Gaelic dictionary and a willingness to practice, reaching Gaelic fluency need not be out of reach, even for those of us who live outside of a Gaelic speaking community. Everyday Gaelic is very useful and the pronunciation guide is decent enough that even my spouse (who doesn't speak a lot of… Read more
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