"Jock's Jocks" Book Presentation & Signing

The Celtic Arts Foundation is pleased to present the North American premiere of Dr. Gary West’s book presentation and signing for Jock’s Jocks. We hope you’ll join us for this evening of Scottish history! Join us for this one-of-a-kind opportunity to spend an evening with Dr. Gary West as he shares excerpts from the book he helped compile and publish on Scottish soldiers’ stories from WWI. Gary will combine a lecture on the book itself with musical interludes in the form of tunes and songs about the places, times, and people featured in the stories, bringing the times to life in a way few others could. He’ll combine his unique historic knowledge of the time period with his highly acclaimed musical prowess to make this an unforgettable evening! Gary’s visit will be the North American release of this book, and only a limited number will be available on the night of the lecture. Jock Duncan, now in his 90s, is a well-known folk singer from the North East of Scotland, and the father of two world-renowned pipers, Pipe Major Ian Duncan and the late Gordon Duncan. While Jock’s performances have been appreciated by several generations of audiences, very few people have been aware that he spent a large part of his life seeking out and interviewing Scottish veterans of the First World War. Universally known as ‘Jocks’, the figure of the Scottish soldier is an iconic one down through history, and yet rarely are we given such a detailed and insightful glimpse into the real-life experiences of those who left the farms of lowland Scotland for the fields of Flanders and France. The stories of 59 men, representing 16 Scottish regiments including the Gordon Highlanders and the Black Watch, are told here for the first time, in their own exact words. Be prepared for laughter and tears in equal measure. Dr. Gary West is the editor of this collection and will provide a lecture detailing the historical research of the book, answer audience questions, and sign copies. Jock’s Jocks is currently only available in North America through the Celtic Arts Foundation at this event, so be sure to pre-order your copy so you don’t miss out (price includes sales tax). Jock’s Jocks was produced in association with The European Ethnological Research Centre, NMS Enterprises Limited Publishing, and the National Museums of Scotland. Gary is the Chair of Celtic Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Members of the Celtic Arts Foundation save 25% on their tickets, so be sure to join or renew before making your purchase in order to save on this concert and many others! Refreshments will be available for purchase. Doors open at 6:30PM. Information about cancellations, refunds, and exchanges can be found on our Ticket Policy page. In addition to this book presentation, Dr. West will also be hosting a Smallpipe Workshop and the National Tartan Day Pacific Northwest Piping Showcase at the Littlefield Celtic Center. Be sure to get your tickets to these events as well!