Books ‐ life or art? University of Paisley Library/John Smith & Son Bookshops Ltd: Scottish Schools Essay Competition Available to Purchase

Presents the three winning entries from the 1998 Scottish Schools Essay Competition, organized by the University of Paisley Library and sponsored by John Smith & Son Bookshops Ltd. Victoria Catterson’s first prize winning entry discusses Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit which explores the major themes of the novel: self‐identity, love and betrayal. Angela Robb discusses the theme of avariciousness, and the misfortunes that befall a family as a result of it, from John Steinbeck’s The Pearl. Catriona Semple discusses Jostein Gaarder’s The Solitaire Mystery where a Magic Island, Rainbow Fizz, the indigenous dwarfs and a pack of cards are found to be more akin to life on earth than you might at first expect.