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Click here to watch Ann MacKinnon’s talk on The Cone Gatherers and other novels by Robin Jenkins, plus other videos from the 2019 ASLS Schools Conference.

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Robin Jenkins’s greatest novel is a powerful examination of good and evil, set against the backdrop of a Scottish estate during World War II. With its themes of class-conflict, war, evil and envy, this is a towering work of fiction that remains as relevant today as when it was first published. Suspenseful, dark and unforgettable, it is one of the masterpieces of modern Scottish literature.

Iain Crichton Smith’s Scotnote is a skilful and intelligent guide to the themes and characters of the novel, and explores the religious, philosophical and moral questions that it poses. Suitable for senior school pupils and students of all ages.

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CONTENTS

• Introduction
• Summary
• Structure
• The period
• Characters
• The moral question
• The religious aspect
• Class
• Nature
• The ending of the book
• The novel as fable
• Further reading
• Questions
• Notes