Jean Duthie

Out of the Farlans: Fresh Fields Jean Duthie

Step back into the late eighteen hundreds and follow the journeys of four women, a grand mother, her two daughters and a granddaughter, as they struggle from the back breaking toil at the gutting farlans into the pathways that will bring them to greater fulfillment. Travel with them to the beauty and mystery of the Shetland Isles, to the excitement of Victorian Edinburgh, to the immense, herring harvests of East Anglia, and across the vast Atlantic, to find new lives and better opportunities. Each follows her own particular purpose, during which they learn about their potential, about the generosity of mankind, the tragedy of two World Wars and the Great Depression. Hard decisions, deep sorrow and loss, but often much joy and romance, colour their lives and the individual courage and response to their situations provide an interesting study of their varied personalities. They all differ, but through the three generations can be traced the same strength of character, the same resilience, a true courage and a positive outlook, which can be realized through hard work. Mary May, Maggie Ann, Betsy and Mary Bella belong to an era, when people are fiercely independent, believing firmly in the worthwhile values of diligence, honesty and dignity. These qualities they practice and have the great satisfaction of seeing them instilled in the next generation, which more than fulfills their dreams.