Jaunty Jock, and Other Stories

"Jaunty Jock and Other Stories" by Neil Munro is a collection of short stories likely written in the early 20th century. These tales are set primarily in Scotland and explore the lives, humor, and conflicts of its characters, reflecting on societal norms and the relationships between individuals within the community. The lead story, "Jaunty Jock," introduces an intriguing character named Macdonald, who grapples with his own plainness and the expectations of society while navigating the complexities of a social dance. The opening of "Jaunty Jock" immerses the reader in a lively description of a ball in Edinburgh during a rainy November night. The protagonist, Macdonald, struggles with feelings of awkwardness and disdain as he observes the superficiality of his surroundings, including his cousin's flirtations and Lady Charlotte, the organizer of the dance. The narrative transitions from the dance to a fire that erupts in their lodging house, provoking a sense of urgency as Macdonald and his cousin face chaos and danger. This set of events establishes a blend of humor and drama, foreshadowing character development and the interplay of wit and social commentary that is likely to unfold throughout the collection. (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.