Book on Up Helly Aa creator
A NEW book on one of Shetland’s most eminent writers and his influence on the Lerwick Up Helly Aa will be launched on 31 January, the day of this year’s fire festival.
Ex-jarl Douglas Smith will introduce Brydon Leslie’s book on the blind Lerwick scholar JJ Haldane Burgess at the Shetland Museum and Archive at 2pm. Mr Leslie will sign copies of his book at the launch.
His book Borgar Jarl: J.J. Haldane Burgess and Up Helly Aa was written as a dissertation for the University of the Highlands and Islands, and is now being published by Shetland Heritage Publications, priced £7.99.
Burgess wove together three sources of inspiration to create the fire festival: his Baptist faith, his passion for socialism and his fascination with the ancient culture of Scandinavia.
The publication is illustrated with photographs and paintings from Up Helly Aa’s past and from Scandinavian sources.
The book launch will take place immediately prior to the visit of this year’s jarl’s squad to the museum.
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