Jaggy Nettles

The Scots refer to thistles and other stinging plants as “jaggy nettles:” things we can’t help but step on or brush up against sometimes, even when we’re watching where we’re going. Fay (Hawson) Copland has had her fair share of stings over the years, but the love of her family has acted as a soothing balm that always got her through.

A sequel to Skint Knees – Reflections on a Scottish Childhood, which focused (as its name implies) on the author’s early years in Scotland, Jaggy Nettles – An Immigrant’s Memoir tells the rest of her story, beginning with young Fay and her family preparing to immigrate to Canada. From there, it follows her life’s journey, growing up as a new Canadian, getting an education, building a satisfying career, and eventually starting a Canadian family of her own – one that has grown to include two children, two in-law children and four grandchildren.