Thistle Soup - Hardcover

Scottish legend has it that an early country remedy for the ailments of a life well-spent and heartily lived came from the pulp of the sow thistle. To author Peter Kerr, this so-called "thistle soup" is emblematic of the life he believes to be most sustaining. To him, this life is found in the fields of East Lothian.
East Lothian is "The Garden of Scotland" and the setting of this delightfully idiosyncratic story of country life. Often hilarious, always heartfelt, and at times sad, here unfold the ups and downs of four generations of one farming family from the northerly Orkney Isles, who move to the little farm of Cuddy Neuk in the south of Scotland just before the outbreak of World War II.
A young Peter, the peedie boy who sets his heart on filling his somewhat eccentric grandfather's straw-lined Wellington boots, grows up to run the family farm and become a farmer father to his own sons, putting his ability to see the funny side of things to good use, as adversities crop up with an intriguing regularity.
"'Peedie" is the Orkney word for 'small,' so it followed that my grandfather should call me 'peedie boy'. He'd always done so, and I was used to it. The youngest of a line of three living Peters, I was also used to being called - originally to avoid confusion when we were all together - Wee Pete, Pedro, Young Pate (Pate is Scots for Pete), Paitrick, Pat and even Paderooski (pronounced as spelled). In fact, it was reaching the stage when I would automatically answer to just about any name beginning with the letter 'P.'"

Peter Kerr, the best-selling Scottish author, was born in Lossiemouth, Morayshire, in 1940. His award-winning 'Snowball Oranges' series of five Mallorcan-based books have sold in large numbers worldwide and have been translated into eleven languages. They recount the often hilarious adventures experienced by Peter and his family while running a small orange farm on the Spanish island during the 1980s. 'Thistle Soup' is a prequel to these books and is a humorous though sometimes poignant account of his boyhood in East Lothian, 'The Garden of Scotland', where he eventually followed in his farming grandfather's footsteps. Peter now concentrates on writing fiction. His first novel, 'The Mallorca Connection', was a rare mix of suspense and comedy and has been followed to date by four other equally quirky yarns, with both Spanish and Scottish settings. In the 1960s, Peter was a jazz musician - the clarinettist-leader of Scotland's premier jazzband, 'The Clyde Valley Stompers', with whom he recorded the hit version of 'Peter and the Wolf' for Beatles producer George Martin. From 1970 onwards, Peter combined farming beef and barley in East Lothian with freelance record production, hitting the jackpot with the biggest-selling instrumental single of all time, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards 'Amazing Grace'. He also wrote the music and lyrics (some say bizarrely!) for The Krankies' trademark song, 'Fan-Dabi-Dozi'. Peter, married with two sons, now lives in East Lothian and has recently published his first historical novel, 'Song of the Eight Winds', which is set in 13th century Mallorca. Website: www.peter-kerr.co.uk