A queer book - James Hogg

'It will be a grand book for thae Englishers for they winna understand a word of it'Hogg's boast to William BlackwoodWitty, humorous and comical as the title implies, the eccentric nature of many of the poems collected here nevertheless belies the often serious and moral issues contained within. Newly available in paperback, and including many of Hogg's better known longer pieces, the present volume is based on the first edition of A Queer Book to be published since 1832 - though the similarity between the two editions ends with the running order. While the text for the original edition was substantially reworked by the publisher to smooth out Hogg's use of Scots, this volume brings together manuscripts from all over the world to provide material as near to his final copy as possible. The result is a vibrant collection including many poems which have never been studied critically before. A thorough introduction to the best of Hogg's poetry.

James Hogg was a Scottish poet, novelist and essayist who wrote in both Scots and English. He is best known for his novel The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner.

Peter Garside offers a clear and comprehensive Introduction to the composition of each of the poems and the circumstances of their original publication, together with helpful and unobtrusive annotation of biographical, historical and topographical details relevant to each poem.
G. A. M. Wood

Garside's annotations do the poems full justice. [...] this edition represents a valuable and enduring addition to Hogg studies, and it should put this hitherto neglected work back on the map.
Duncan Wu