Bud: A Novel

"Bud: A Novel" by Neil Munro is a fictional narrative written in the early 20th century. The story introduces us to the lively town of Dyce and its inhabitants as they prepare to welcome a new arrival, a young girl named Bud, who has journeyed from America after the death of her father. The novel seems to explore themes of family, community, and the contrast between American and Scottish lifestyles through the experiences of its characters. The opening of the novel sets a cheerful scene during the New Year's festivities in the town, where the townspeople are awakened by the whimsical ringing of a bell. Among the characters introduced are Miss Dyce and her maid, Kate MacNeill, who are busy with their New Year's preparations. The anticipation of Bud's arrival creates a blend of excitement and curiosity, highlighting how her unique American upbringing may clash or harmonize with the traditional Scottish customs of her new family. As the day unfolds, readers get a glimpse into the lively community and the warmth of familial bonds, foreshadowing the adventures that Bud will encounter as she settles into her new life. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Neil Munro was a Scottish journalist, newspaper editor, author and literary critic. He was basically a serious writer, but is now mainly known for his humorous short stories, originally written under the pen name Hugh Foulis. The best known of these stories are about the fictional Clyde puffer the Vital Spark and her captain Para Handy, but they also include stories about the waiter and kirk beadle Erchie MacPherson and the travelling drapery salesman Jimmy Swan. They were originally published in the Glasgow Evening News, but collections were published as books. A key figure in Scottish literary circles, Munro was a friend of the writers J. M. Barrie, John Buchan, Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham and Joseph Conrad, and the artists Edward A. Hornel, George Houston, Pittendrigh MacGillivray and Robert Macaulay Stevenson. He was an early promoter of the works of both Conrad and Rudyard Kipling.