Overview

Kristie De Garis spent years running from places, people and parts of herself. But chaos always followed. When she moved to rural Scotland, she hoped to find peace. Instead, in the space and silence, she was forced to confront everything she had tried to escape: racism, trauma, undiagnosed ADHD, addiction and the stark realities of motherhood. Then, in the land around her and in the slow, stubborn craft of drystone walling she began to see a different life. One that was quiet, deliberate, and her own. Drystone: A Life Rebuiltis unflinchingly honest and unexpectedly funny. A story about the weight of the past, resilience and the hard work of living on your own terms. Some things may never change. What matters is the life you build anyway.

Full Product Details

9781846976469

Table of Contents

Reviews

'The bravest and brightest of memoirs to come out for some time. De Garis writes with strength on racism, trauma and addiction and leaves the reader feeling hopeful that, with compassion and persistence, anything is achievable' -- Rebecca Smith * Gutter Magazine, Books of the Year 2025 * 'A searingly honest, raw and visceral read... In short it is a triumph' * Sunday Post * 'Tells the truth of rural Scotland through worlds spun from a creative mind'  * The Times * 'An incredibly powerful debut, Drystone is an account of survival, strength, and quiet transformation that stays with you long after the final page. Written with clarity and compassion, it reflects not only life’s hardest moments, but its tender, deeply human ones too. A life-affirming work' -- Rebecca Smith, author of Rural: The Lives of the Working Class 'Drystone is as beautifully rendered as the walls De Garis creates' -- Julie Vuong * The Bookseller * 'Drystone doesn’t pull any punches, it’s shockingly frank but also has the most beautiful literary touch. The child picking up a satisfyingly smooth pebble, the adult surviving what is thrown at her. -- Tracy King, author of memoir Learning to Think 'Honest, funny, direct and moving, this is a memoir of resilience and finding the life that suits you' * Books from Scotland * 'Absorbing, enraging, funny and moving, like a Scottish mixed-race Monica Heisey with bonus dry stone walling, De Garis unpacks the effects of racism, intergenerational trauma, and undiagnosed neurodivergence on her relationships and life, deftly interweaving the work of walling with the slow, deliberated work of rebuilding something beautiful, functional and sustainable' -- Polly Atkin, author of Some of Us Just Fall 'Written with raw clarity, acerbic humour and emotional honesty... written from the perspective of a single life, but with a sensitivity to the depth and breadth of its underlying themes that will make it speak to many other lives' -- Kat Hill, author of Bothy 'While De Garis’ memoir has its share of bleakness, Drystone is filled with moments of humour. Her writing style makes for a readable, and emotionally balanced, experience' * Bookmunch * 'The craft of Drystone only occupies a small portion of the book, but it supplies the central metaphor of taking something apart and rebuilding it more strongly... uncompromisingly honest' -- Alastair Mabbott * The Herald * 'This is a brave, tender and at times difficult to read book, for it is also unputdownable' * Scottish Field * 'With splashes of humour, this memoir skilfully sets out the difficulties of managing a childhood move from town to country, racism and bullying, and the traumas borne of an uncertain start in life. Never dwelling overly long on its powerful central image of drystone walling, this beautiful book illustrates how a shift in pace, embracing non-traditional work and family structures, and hard-won self-learning can make for a far more fulfilling life' * Books from Scotland - Booksellers Books of the Year *

'An incredibly powerful debut, Drystone is an account of survival, strength, and quiet transformation that stays with you long after the final page. Written with clarity and compassion, it reflects not only life’s hardest moments, but its tender, deeply human ones too. A life-affirming work' -- Rebecca Smith, author of Rural: The Lives of the Working Class

'An incredibly powerful debut, Drystone is an account of survival, strength, and quiet transformation that stays with you long after the final page. Written with clarity and compassion, it reflects not only life’s hardest moments, but its tender, deeply human ones too. A life-affirming work' -- Rebecca Smith, author of Rural: The Lives of the Working Class 'Drystone is as beautifully rendered as the walls De Garis creates' -- Julie Vuong * The Bookseller * 'Drystone doesn’t pull any punches, it’s shockingly frank but also has the most beautiful literary touch. The child picking up a satisfyingly smooth pebble, the adult surviving what is thrown at her. -- Tracy King, author of memoir Learning to Think 'Honest, funny, direct and moving, this is a memoir of resilience and finding the life that suits you' * Books from Scotland * 'Absorbing, enraging, funny and moving, like a Scottish mixed-race Monica Heisey with bonus dry stone walling, De Garis unpacks the effects of racism, intergenerational trauma, and undiagnosed neurodivergence on her relationships and life, deftly interweaving the work of walling with the slow, deliberated work of rebuilding something beautiful, functional and sustainable' -- Polly Atkin, author of Some of Us Just Fall

'An incredibly powerful debut, Drystone is an account of survival, strength, and quiet transformation that stays with you long after the final page. Written with clarity and compassion, it reflects not only life’s hardest moments, but its tender, deeply human ones too. A life-affirming work' -- Rebecca Smith, author of Rural: The Lives of the Working Class 'Drystone is as beautifully rendered as the walls De Garis creates' -- Julie Vuong * The Bookseller * 'Drystone doesn’t pull any punches, it’s shockingly frank but also has the most beautiful literary touch. The child picking up a satisfyingly smooth pebble, the adult surviving what is thrown at her. -- Tracy King, author of memoir Learning to Think 'Honest, funny, direct and moving, this is a memoir of resilience and finding the life that suits you' * Books from Scotland *

Author Information

Kristie De Garis is a writer, photographer and drystone waller based in Perthshire, Scotland, where she lives a quiet and carefully curated life. Drystone: A Life Rebuilt is her first book.

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