I am fairly sure that no-one out there really needs to know that much about me, or should even care, but I suppose it gives some indication of where I am coming from in my reviews.

So I am a true and honest Highlander, born on the Highland boundary fault and have lived and worked in the Highlands of Scotland ever since, and guess what, not a trace of a French accent (there can be only one indeed!).

I work amongst the trees and mountains of Scotland’s great forests, including remnants of the ancient Caledonian Pinewoods, where bears and wolves once roamed. Someone once said to “stand within these forests is to feel the past”.

When I am not reading I am photographing some of the natural wonders around me and am lucky enough to have published a few of my photos (check out www.naturalview.co.uk).

Between all that, I occasionally have passing meetings with my family and am delighted that my daughter Sara has been genetically influenced enough to create her own book review blog at http://dragonflybookreviews.blogspot.com/ , check it out but don’t tell her it’s better than mine.

Anyway, that’s me, older than the hills and half as clever, I have been reading as far back as I remember, long enough to form deeply set (and probably wrong) opinions about what makes a book succeed, hope you enjoy it.

Slainte

Highlander