Homecoming

Homecoming puts Scotland in touch with the wider world, particularly fitting as the country prepares to welcome back its sons and daughters in a year-long celebration. Riach, himself a returned ex-pat, finds common humanity at home and abroad with a new book of inspired poetry carefully arranged in five sections, from the opening preludes to the diverse landscapes of Scotland, from Orkney to the Borders. Riach guides the reader around the globe from New Zealand through China to Mexico, Istanbul and Helsinki before returning home to Scotland in the final section, and the crux of the collection. In over 80 engaging poems, diverse in form and subject matter, Riach observes life with a poignancy, clarity and sometimes a hard edge that has earned him the reputation as one of the finest poets of his generation. Homecoming also includes beautiful original illustrations by artist Alexander Moffat.

Alan Riach Alan Riach was born in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, in 1957. He studied at Cambridge and Glasgow and worked in New Zealand at the University of Waikato from 1986-2000. He is the author of Hugh MacDiarmid's Epic Poetry and Representing Scotland in Literature, Popular Culture and Iconography. He is currently the Professor of Scottish Literature, University of Glasgow, and President of the Association for Scottish Literary Studies.