Originally published in 1845, in Forfarshire Scotland, Amusements of Solitude is the single published works of Alexander Herald, who was the grocer and Post Master at Guthrie until his death in 1863. The poetry provides a look into the life and events of the mid 1800’s Scotland, with a homage to Guthrie Castle, Lord Byron and skirmishes in Greece.
The poems are also annotated by Alexander himself, giving a personal look into his own thoughts on why he wrote certain stanzas, or providing historical context to the prose.
With a forward by JL Herald, an Australian poet, and Alexander Herald’s direct ancestor, she has included a history of the Herald family in Scotland - including Alexanders family: his parents, brothers and children and descendants which include an Olympic swimmer, and a victim of one of Australia’s biggest unsolved murders.