A collection of thirteen tales and anecdotes, published for the first time as Hogg intended, and capturing the flavour of Border story-telling.

The scholarship of all thisis deep, acurate and unobtrusive, always at the service of the reader andthe author. Read as a group the tales reinforce the impression that JamesHogg is the paradigm instance of the fantastic as defined by Todorov These attractive editions of Hogg's work are set directly from the original texts, and in the case of the Perils of Woman and The Shepherd's Calendar, actually represent the first ever republications of the originals! the infectiously enthusiastic introduction by Douglas Mack relates the very relevant publication history of this piece, which originally appeared as a series of articles in Blackwood's Magazine![this] edition represents the first to be set directly from the magazine articles! Now that it has been brought together unbowdlerised for the first time in paperback, we can now see this collection's coherence as a single work, celebrating the vivacity of Hogg's home community. With the handsome paperback publication of Douglas S. Mack's Stirling/South Carolina Edition of The Shepherd's Calendar, the shaggy, genial masterpieces of Hogg's more characteristic late output - hitherto available only in university libraries - have been made both affordable and classroom-ready. The scholarship of all thisis deep, acurate and unobtrusive, always at the service of the reader andthe author. Read as a group the tales reinforce the impression that JamesHogg is the paradigm instance of the fantastic as defined by Todorov These attractive editions of Hogg's work are set directly from the original texts, and in the case of the Perils of Woman and The Shepherd's Calendar, actually represent the first ever republications of the originals! the infectiously enthusiastic introduction by Douglas Mack relates the very relevant publication history of this piece, which originally appeared as a series of articles in Blackwood's Magazine![this] edition represents the first to be set directly from the magazine articles! Now that it has been brought together unbowdlerised for the first time in paperback, we can now see this collection's coherence as a single work, celebrating the vivacity of Hogg's home community. With the handsome paperback publication of Douglas S. Mack's Stirling/South Carolina Edition of The Shepherd's Calendar, the shaggy, genial masterpieces of Hogg's more characteristic late output - hitherto available only in university libraries - have been made both affordable and classroom-ready.

The late Douglas S. Mack was formerly Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Stirling.