author
Robert William MacKenna
1874–1930
A Scottish doctor who built a second life as a novelist, he moved between medical science and vivid historical storytelling with unusual ease. His books are especially remembered for bringing the drama of the Covenanters to life.
1 Audiobook
Flower o' the Heather: A Story of the Killing Times
by Robert William MacKenna
About the author
Born in Dumfries in 1874, Robert William MacKenna was a Scottish physician and author who managed to make a name for himself in two very different fields. Sources describe him as both a successful dermatologist and a writer of fiction and essays, with a career that joined professional medicine to a strong literary life.
He is best known as the author of historical novels set around the time of the Covenanters in Scotland, including Flower o' the Heather. He also wrote non-fiction, and records connected with his medical work show his long association with dermatology, including Diseases of the Skin.
MacKenna died in 1930, but his work still stands out for the breadth of his interests: part doctor, part storyteller, and deeply engaged with Scottish history and human experience.