Pride and Passion: Robert Burns, 1759-1796

"Pride and Passion: Robert Burns, 1759-1796" by J. De Lancey Ferguson is a study of the life of Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet, set in the dynamic world of 18th-century Scotland. Instead of just listing facts, the author wants to show us who Burns really was, digging into his relationships and what was happening in society and politics at the time. The book starts off by showing Scotland’s struggles with poverty and political issues after it joined with England in 1707, and goes on to critique how Burns's biographies often miss the exciting parts of his life. As we read, we see that pride and passion were very important to Burns, shaping his experiences and influencing the amazing poetry he created in response to the world around him.