MANY thanks to the University of Glasgow for so kindly awarding me an honorary Doctor of Letters degree at their Commencement ceremonies on June 28!
It was a wonderful occasion, and great to become a small part of such an ancient and estimable academic community.
-Diana
An article by Alison Campsie in The Scotsman reported:
The historical fiction writer, Diana Gabaldon, who has had runaway global success with her Outlander series partly set in the Highlands, received a Doctorate of Letters from Glasgow University at a ceremony on Tuesday afternoon, June 28, 2022.
Dr. Gabaldon, who also has a science Ph,D., said having her novels, which revolve around the fate of a Highland Jacobite and his English wife, meant a great deal.
The writer said: “I’m very honoured to have been awarded this degree, particularly from such an ancient and venerable institution. It means a great deal to me, to have my work, which is based on Scottish history, recognised by one of the foremost academic institutions of Scotland.”
Dr. Gabaldon added: “I occasionally have had rather silly people ask if I don’t feel I am committing cultural appropriation by using Scottish history as the background (and a good bit of the plot) of my novels.
“To which I reply that I actually think the Scots have appropriated me, which is very nice of them.”
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Congratulations to the Doctorate degree.
My daughter is a student on the University of Glasgow and when I went to Glasgow to visit her , almost everything I knew about Scotland were informations from Outlander.
I am 69 today and i hope I will live long enough to read the last volume of Outlander series.
Best regards Jan
Dear Jan,
Thank you! I am glad you learned about Scotland from my novels, and it’s lovely that your daughter is a student at the University of Glasgow.
In regards to age, I turned 70 years old in January of 2022, so I’m a year older than you are. I’m certainly planning to be around to finish book ten, and works beyond.
Diana
I think you must be a time traveler yourself! 70??!! Sure don’t look it!
I am 69, too and I have the same worry!
Dear Diana, A mazel tov to you in receiving such an honor. You are a most worthy and deserving author. I thoroughly enjoy all your Outlander books and read them more than once taking me into the Fraser world. No other author has compared to your writing with such detail. Thank you very much!!
Cindy
Wait, what, I thought you were around forty. Congratulations. My sister started me on “ Outlander” because I married a big redhead. Now I am addicted! Thank you.
Diana’s husband is a tall, handsome redhead, too.
Congratulations, and thanks so much for years of fantastic reading.
You couldn’t possibly be 70. I’m 75 and look decades older than you!
Congratulations, Diana, on a well deserved honor!
I too share the impatience of other commenters as we wait for Book 10 and beyond. I’ll begin my 80th year next week and hope to enjoy your next book and many others that may follow.
Having just finished reading “Bees” yesterday, I’m in that state of sadness brought on by realizing the book actually had to end. It had been several years since I’d read Book 8, so before starting “Bees”, I went back and read it again, but before doing that I needed to read at least the last part of Book 7 to refresh my memory.
Needless to say, these past weeks have strained my weary old eyes, but it has surely been worth it. I wish I could convey how much I appreciate your genius in storytelling. At least I don’t need eyedrops as often. You certainly know how to make the tears flow.
Congratulations Diana, I have read all your Outlander series a number of times, it has been my companion through a series of hospitalization and recovery I am 80 years old and hope I am still around for book 10. Many thanks Elizabeth.
I am reading Go Tell the Bees. I have read the entire series in order and have loved each and every one. I commented before about Diana’s comments in her books about eating poke salad, uncooked. I pointed out that poke salad can be poisonous if not cooked properly. I would like to comment now that a person living in the woods would never go in bear country to pick grapes as Brianna and Amy did without a big dog or someone carrying a big gun. Picking bear food is very risky. We would take our cats as well as dogs when we went to pick huckleberries in the woods. The dogs will protect from larger predators while the cats will protect you from snakes. Also the bear would have dragged Amy off with him. A bear would never leave prey behind.
Love the story line but not likely in reality.
Dear Diana,
I consider you one of the great authors of the 20th & 21st centuries. As I told one friend, “She (you) are one smart Babe!
That being said, kindly get with the program and get the 10th book of the Outlander series published.
I’m 85 years old and don’t have a lot of time to wait around to find out what happens to Jamie and Claire.
This message is meant in all good humor.
Thank you for making your talents available to the world.
Susan Redd
Dear Susan,
I heartily agree about Diana’s greatness and intelligence. But just between you and I… the quickest way to get Diana’s fin up is to tell her to hurry her writing. She already works harder than any published author I’ve ever met or heard about, especially one who is 70 years old, er, I meant 70 years young.
We all gotta take our vitamins and hang in there for Book Ten. And beyond!
All best,
Loretta
Diana’s Webmistress