author
J. W. (John William) Robertson Scott
1866–1962
A lively British journalist and author, he became one of the best-known writers on rural life and country affairs. His work mixed close observation with a strong curiosity about how ordinary people lived, from the English countryside to Japan and China.
2 Audiobooks
The foundations of Japan : Notes made during journeys of 6,000 miles in the rural districts as a basis for a sounder knowledge of the Japanese people
by J. W. (John William) Robertson Scott
The strange story of the Dunmow flitch
by J. W. (John William) Robertson Scott
About the author
Born in Wigton, Cumberland, on April 20, 1866, J. W. Robertson Scott built his reputation as a journalist before becoming widely known as a writer on rural affairs. He is especially remembered as the founder of The Countryman, the magazine he launched in 1927 to celebrate and examine country life with warmth, intelligence, and practical interest.
His books ranged well beyond Britain. He traveled extensively in East Asia and wrote works including The Foundations of Japan and The People of China, bringing together reporting, travel writing, and social observation. Across his writing, he had a gift for noticing how communities actually worked day to day.
Robertson Scott was later appointed a Companion of Honour, reflecting the regard he earned for his contribution to journalism and public life. He died in Idbury, Oxfordshire, on December 21, 1962, leaving behind a body of work that still appeals to readers interested in rural history, travel, and thoughtful firsthand reporting.