About the Author: Neil Munro
Neil Munro (1863–1930) was a Scottish journalist, newspaper editor, author and literary critic. He was born in Inveraray and worked as a journalist on various newspapers.
He was basically a serious writer, but is now mainly known for his humorous short stories, originally written under the pen name of Hugh Foulis. (It seems that he was not making a serious attempt to disguise his identity, but wanted to keep his serious and humorous writings separate.) The best known were about the fictional Clyde puffer the Vital Spark and her captain Para Handy, but they also included stories about the waiter and kirk beadle Erchie MacPherson, and the travelling drapery salesman Jimmy Swan.
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Neil Munro
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Paperback, Published in Feb 2009 by Aegypan
ISBN10: 160664355X | ISBN13: 9781606643556
ONE SAVVY SCOT SKIPPER Ever wonder what it was like to be the Captain of a Clyde Puffer -- that is, a steamship on the beautiful lochs of the Scots highlands at the beginning of the twentieth century?
Enter now the captivating world of Captain Para Handy and the irascible crew of "The Vital Spark," called by it's captain "the best boat in the tread."
Join Para Handy, (or, rather, Captain John Macfarlane, his real name) and his crew of characters, the wondrous Hurricane Jack, the effete engineer Dan Macphail, the superstitious ship's mate Dougie, Colin the Tar and his cousin Davie Green.
Para Handy loses command of his beloved boat -- for a while. Read about a lost child, and the startling fate of a canary. Chuckle over Dougie's payday trouble with his wife. Plus a very odd Scots recipe.
Take a deep whiff of the distillery, keep an eye out for Nessie, grab yourself a bagpipe and a bowlful of haggis and get the kilt charmed off you in these delightful tales
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