Thread by @scotlit

What Scotsman was caught up in a civil war before the age of twenty? Wrote a book that became the inspiration for an #Oscar-winning film? Met a runaway teenager in Paris & married her against the wishes of his family? Lost his ranch to raiding Apaches?

Went into Parliament as a #Liberal and came out as a #Socialist? Assaulted a policeman in defence of free speech and was sent to prison? Travelled in disguise in Morocco trying to reach a forbidden city? Was a founder of both @scottishlabour & @theSNP?

Was a ferocious critic of imperialism, racism & cruelty to any human or animal? Bought his favourite horse from the Glasgow Tramway Co. & rode it for 20 years? Rounded up horses at the age of 62 for use by the Army? Wrote nearly 30 books, including 200 short stories & sketches?

Knew nearly all the great writers & artists of his day? Had a funeral attended by the President of a republic & the 2 most famous horses in the world? Is buried in a neglected grave beside his wife on a small lake-island not far from Glasgow?

Has, surprisingly, been almost totally ignored, even almost forgotten, as a personality & politician & writer by recent generations?

Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham (1852–1936) died #OTD, 20 March. Read about his extraordinary life here:
thebottleimp.org.uk/2012/05/a-worl…

Listen to all 5 episodes of “Don Roberto”, @billykayscot’s radio series about Cunninghame Graham:
youtube.com/playlist?list=…

11 essays exploring the complex interaction between imperial & revolutionary discourses in the works of Cunninghame Graham & other Scottish writers of the period:
asls.arts.gla.ac.uk/Empires_and_Re…

3 short stories by Cunninghame Graham, for free download, about journeys & frontiers, & about tenacity, loss, & death: “A Hegira” (set in 🇲🇽), “The Gold Fish” (set in 🇲🇦), & “Beattock for Moffat” (set in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿)
asls.arts.gla.ac.uk/Three_Stories.…