“The Bard” by Robert Crawford is a comprehensive biography
detailing the life and work of Scottish poet Robert Burns. It was published in
2010 by Pimlico.
Throughout the research process, Crawford consulted several
sources for research, including Burns’ letters. He includes pieces of these
letters in the book, providing even more information and context for Burns’
life. In the “Acknowledgements,” Crawford lists sources he consulted for
research and explains how his books differ from other sources.
The book covers the life of Burns in great detail, from
birth to his legacy after he died. Crawford provides deep context about what
was happening in Scotland throughout Burns’ life. While this sometimes felt too
in-depth and dragged out, the information gave excellent details of who Burns
was and how his surroundings influenced his character and his actions.
Crawford also told the story of Burns’ life in an objective
way. Burns was not a perfect person, but many people tend to gloss over some of
the negative aspects of his life, including his affairs and adultery. This
allows readers to be well-informed so they can make their own opinions of
Burns. It paints Burns as a human being with real human desires and experiences,
both good and bad.
Overall, this book is an impressive biography of one of the most
beloved poets in the world. Many people know of Robert Burns, but not many know
that much about him. This is a very detailed, comprehensive look at his life
and what was going on in the world around him while he was alive. While it did drag
on at some points with some of the details about the context of Burns’ life,
these details explained how Burns came to be who he was and did the things he
did.
Personally, I loved being able to get to know Burns on a deeper
level. As someone who knew his poetry and music from a young age, I had an
interest in him but never had the chance to learn as much about him as I did
while reading this book. It was cool to see his correspondence with family,
friends, and patrons. This book is a unique deep dive that provides
biographical information and context. The context was what truly set this book
apart as most biographies just focus on the person in discussion.
Rating: 8/10 Bards
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