Lillian Beckwith

Lillian Comber, author (1916 - 2004) was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England, and wrote under the name Lillian Beckwith. Her most notable works are a series of semi-autobiographical books that chronicle her years living in Elgol, Isle of Skye, and later on the nearby and smaller Isle of Soay. Originally arriving in 1942 under doctor's orders for a rest, Beckwith stayed several years, eventually buying and running her own croft. In order, those books are:

*1959 - "The Hills is Lonely" — [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/hills_lonely.htm Chapter 1] , [http://www.sonderbooks.com/Nonfiction/hillsislonely.html Review]
*1961 - "The Sea for Breakfast" — [http://www.scottishradiance.com/bookreviews/seabreakfast.htm Chapter 1]
*1964 - "The Loud Halo" [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/loud_halo.htm Chapter 1]
*1968 - "A Rope - In Case" — [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/ropeincase.htm Chapter 1] Available in book form, first published by Hutchinson (London) with later reprints and illustrated by Douglas Hall ]
*1973 - "Lightly Poached" — [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/lightly_poached.htm Chapter 1] Available in book form, first published by Hutchinson (London) with later reprints and illustrated by Douglas Hall ]

*1976 - "Beautiful Just!" — [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/beautiful_just.htm Chapter 1]
*1978 - "Bruach Blend" — [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/bruach_blend.htm Chapter 1] , [http://www.duncanwil.co.uk/bec.html Review] All are also available as audiobooks narrated by Hannah Gordon. [ [http://www.ealaghol.co.uk/books/authors/beckwith.htm Ealaghol Isle of Skye - Lillian Beckwith's Books ] ]

Allegedly, some of her neighbours later felt that the somewhat comical characters on Beckwith’s fictional island of Bruach were too close to real persons, causing Beckwith to become somewhat of a persona non grata in her former home.

She has also written a book "About my Father's Business" (1974) about her childhood in her father's grocery shop.

She moved to the Isle of Man in 1962 and died on 3rd January 2004 aged 87. [ [http://www.iomtoday.co.im/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=870&articleid=721314 ISLAND AUTHOR DIES - Isle of Man Today ] ]

Lillian Beckwith has also written fiction :

*1967 - "Green Hand"
*1974 - "The Spuddy" (Illustrated by Victor Ambrus)
*1984 - "A Shine of Rainbows" — [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/shineof_rainbows.htm Chapter 1]
*1986 - "A Proper Woman"
*1989 - "The Small Party"
*1992 - "An Island Apart" — [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/island_apart.htm Chapter 1] , (audiobook narrated by Vivien Heilbron [ [http://www.bbcaudiobooksamerica.com/contributorinfo.cfm?ContribID=1323 BBC Audiobooks America ] ] )
*2002 - "A Breath of Autumn" — [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/breath_ofautumn.htm Chapter 1]

A collection of short stories :

*1988 "Bay of Strangers" — [http://www.electricscotland.com/books/bayof_strangers.htm Title story]

And a cookery book :

*1976 "Hebridean Cook Book"

External links

* [http://www.ealaghol.co.uk/books/authors/beckwith.htm The Bruach books of Lillian Beckwith]
* [http://www.scottishradiance.com/bookreviews/beck.htm Hebridean Comedies]
* [http://www.iomtoday.co.im/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=870&articleid=721314 Obituary]
* [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/lillian-beckwith Lillian Beckwith] on fantasticfiction.com

References