For years, whenever we as Scots thought of Dundee, collectively the old cliche of jute, jam and comics were the obvious answers.
But, with the passage of time, and in particular the arrival of the V&A on the banks of the Tay, that image has been completely eroded and modernised, as Dundee’s economy has diversified after its dependence on the jute industry.
The city’s cultural and social life have developed in directions that would have been hard to predict even a decade ago, with the rise of the computer game technology in the city, while Dundee regularly being featured in lists of cities that you must visit, as a result of its now design-centric image.
Author Andrew Murray Scott – an adopted Dundonian since the age of one – has updated his previous work, to give a vivid, informative and illustrated account which concentrates on these critical past few years.
Before World War Two the city was in decline and only in the 1970s, with the advent of new technologies, and the gaming explosion of the 1990s, did Dundee’s regeneration begin.
Against this background of profound change, the author gives an account of the rich daily life of Dundee. He recalls important events and individuals and offers keen insights into the processes of development and recovery.
Photographs provide a timely chronicle to show how the city has adapted over the years, from the flares and mutton chops of the 70s, to the up to date lines of the V&A.
Modern Dundee is evocative reading for anyone who knows the city and has lived there during the post-war years, and it will also serve as a valuable introduction to its immediate history.
Modern Dundee, by Andrew Murray Scott, published by Derby Books, £12.99.
[review rating=”4″ align = “left”]
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