In the 18th and 19th centuries people throughout Scotland were forcibly evicted from their homes by wealthy landowners who wanted to replace tenant crofters with livestock. This is known as the Highland Clearances, but the islands of Orkney did not escape it.

In 1883 the population of Rousay was 1118. Today it is just over 200. 'The Rousay Clearances - Exodus from the Egypt of the North' explains how this happened.

This book was created to accompany an exhibition of images by Orcadian artist Martin Laird, with explanatory text by the writer Fiona Grahame. The exhibition was held in association with Northlight Gallery, Stromness, and St. Andrew's Fair Saturday 2020. Fair Saturday exists as a socially responsible counterpoint to Black Friday.