Islands of the Evening

"An exploration of Scotland's past through the eyes of a scholarly hiker... magnificent." ~New Statesman

"Delightful... Moffat's writing is at its most fascinating when he writes about his own experience." ~Church Times

"See Scotland's shores in a new light on Alistair's journey." ~Scots Magazine

"A lively and sometimes humorous account for a popular audience and whilst meticulously researched, he captures the spirit of beauty of the 'thin place' between heaven and earth." ~Lynne McNeil, Life and Work

"Moffat writes sensitively and informatively about early monasticism... His book is also full of fascinating asides on more recent spiritual and religious currents and controversies in these regions, and makes for a satisfying and compelling travelogue." ~Ian Bradley, Church Times

"Moffat has a gift for putting readers at ease and bringing history alive... part social history, part travelogue, part religious hymnal, this is a charming book." ~Megan Amato, Scottish Field

"Moffat uncovers the monastic communities, linked by piety and seacraft, that once girded the Atlantic like so many prayer beads. A compulsive read." ~The Tablet

[an] exploration of Scotland’s past through the eyes of a scholarly hiker. His focus in this magnificent book is the lives of the early Irish saints who came to Scotland to rescue the country from darkness. It was a brave thing to do – Scotland was a wild and frightening place then' ~New Statesman, Books of the Year

This delightful book is part history, part pilgrimage…  Moffat’s writing is at its most fascinating when he writes about his experience – and none more than his night in the open on the holy island of Iona' ~The Church Times

Full of insight and passion, Moffat opens discussion surrounding popular Christian cultural figures and sheds light on the influence of the Irish Saints who have undoubtedly contributed to the culture and language of Scotland in powerful way. This book goes beyond educational – it is both emotional and uplifting as we follow the author on his own journey, providing his reader with the perfect form of escapism' ~Dundee Courier, Scottish Book of the Week

Part-travelogue, part pilgrimage, In Search of Angels succeeds as a compelling, finely detailed overview of just how many Irish monks settled I the north west of Scotland in the sixth and seventh centuries. The marks of these men are still with us, if you know where to look' ~Michael Russell, West Highland Free Press

Moffat is on the track of the Irish monk-missionaries…he wants us to follow him with attention to atmosphere, weather, wonderful scenery and the difficulties of reaching his evocative destinations…The writing is vivid…[His own] search is not unrelated to that of the sixth-century Irish monks' ~Times Literary Supplement

Alistair Moffat is one of Scotland’s finest and most readable writers. His is a magnificent book about Scotland in dark times. It is hauntingly lovely, with a message of light that we sorely need today' ~Alexander McCall Smith, Sunday Post

[Alistair Moffat] doesn’t stick to the libraries for his research. Instead, he travels to the islands and wildplaces around the coasts of Scotland ... recreating a vanished world' FIVE STARS ~Sorted Magazine