Water and life

'Water and Life' pursues the goal of the previous volume, 'Nation and Nationalism', to bridge the often ivory-tower concerns of academic critics and the interest of a wider public in the works and thought of Neil Gunn, considered the foremost Scottish novelist of the twentieth century.

The 'circle' in the title reflects its use within Gunn's novels to symbolize both wholeness and the cyclical nature of life.

It also represents the group of enthusiasts for Gunn's work that ranges from the energetic volunteers who created and maintain the commemorative centre at Dunbeath in Caithness and those in the Dingwall-based Neil Gunn Trust who actively promote his work to the authors whose own writings owe much to his example and insights.