I'll admit that 18th century Scotland is not a subject I'm very interested in. But I do enjoy travel writing, and these two accounts offered interesting insights into a Scotland that was changing even as the authors travelled through it.

Johnson and Boswell's accounts differ somewhat. Johnson's narrative is far more concerned with general observation and assessment, and Boswell's in contrast is rich with detail of conversations and anecdotes throughout the journey. However in this sense, the two complement each other and you can't read one without reading the other. In fact, I would recommend reading both accounts at the same time, so you get an idea of the bigger picture. The footnotes at the back of the book are useful too, especially if like me you're not familiar with the subject matter.

If I have any criticism, it's only that some of the the 18th century language can be a little difficult to get through. However, I would still recommend this for anyone interested in Scotland, and/or the authors (who are very much in evidence through the narratives and are both interesting men in their own right). I'd encourage other fans of travel writing to give it a go too, as these accounts also demonstrate how the genre has evolved over centuries.

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