The Stewarts

So you think The Simpsons are America's funniest family. Wait till you meet The Stewarts, Scotland's craziest clan, led by Geordie, inventor of the Scottish Nationist Army; his wife, Mary, whose porridge rivals reinforced concrete; Big Jock, distiller of Rum Baa and Terminator Toddy; Angus,leader of The Tumshies, the world's finest byre band; Hector the Protector,upholder of the law- occasionally; and their ancient enemies, the Melvilles, led by Bert and Wilma the Weasel.

This is a collection of sixteen short stories based in Kirkallen, a fictitious village in the highlands of Scotland. The main characters are members of three generations of the Stewart family who deal with life in their own not always entirely legal way. Some of the topics are Geordie's efforts to combat the local town council who try to shut down his pig farm; the local school band; the annual garden and craft show; getting rid of unwanted suitors; New Age religion; and how the Stewarts survive Christmas and New Year. While this is a humorous look at life in a small town in Scotland, it does touch on a few more serious subjects such as the lot of farm women and some of the beliefs on their role that still persist to this day.

Helen Leith is a pseudonym for Leith Stewart. She grew up in a small town in Scotland but emigrated to Canada. She is the author of more than two hundred magazine articles and has written and produced numerous educational radio and television programs. The range of topics she has written on is extensive and includes environmental issues, dance, children's theatre, and small business start-up. Currently, she is working on a follow-up to The Stewarts and a book on surviving in a small town in Canada.