William Wallace: Brave Heart

A national hero? Undeniably. An example of the shakiness of the Scots nobility in the face of the energy and drive of Edward I, also unquestionably. A sideways look at the character and motives of Robert the Bruce, also included. Bundled up in workmanlike prose, and often well researched this is also a look at the difficulty of translating modern nationalism back into the feudal framework. An interesting read, and probably quite rousing for Scot's nationalists among the readers.

Started reading in 2013, but I stopped when I learned of credible accusations of plagiarism in this and other books by Mackay. See Graeme Morton, "Review: Sir William Wallace and Other Tall Stories (Unlikely Mostly)", Scottish Affairs, No. 14, 1996. James Fergusson's William Wallace: Guardian of Scotland (1938) seems to be the victimized book.

meticulous history, following numerous Scots