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Audiobook edition · 7 h 11 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What kind of loyalty can grow between a soldier and a small bird?
In The Starling, Norman Macleod brings an unlikely bond between a soldier and his bird into a Scottish tale of faith and loyalty. Around that bond lies a world of homes, churches and communities, where everyday ties and a strong sense of duty matter.
Macleod writes as a minister and storyteller who wants to reach ordinary readers. His approach is warm, direct and open to strong feeling. Here, faith belongs to daily life rather than argument, and loyalty to family, friends and duty gives the tale its earnest heart.
What you’ll discover
- An unlikely bond Meet a soldier and his bird in a tale that places loyalty at its heart.
- A Scottish setting Enter a world of homes, churches and communities shaped by a strong sense of duty.
- Faith in daily life Explore a storyteller's concern with faith as something lived, not simply argued.
- Feeling without apology Discover an earnest style that welcomes strong emotion and speaks with warmth.
- Loyalty close to home Reflect on ties to family and friends, and the duties that give them weight.
Who will love it
Readers who love warm village stories, gentle humour and quiet courage will enjoy this book. It suits anyone drawn to Scottish life, old soldiers and kind-hearted outcasts.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A reputation hides a fuller life
- The bird keeps Charlie's voice alive
- Love gives Adam grounds to refuse
- Katie sees their child in danger
- An orphan stands beside the outcast
- Kindness reaches Jock without a lecture
- Jock begins to return the kindness
- Deeds matter more than public approval
- Principle and feeling need each other
Who’s who
- Sergeant Adam MercerA retired soldier, shoemaker and church elder, calm and kind, who refuses to kill the starling that was his dead son's pet.
- Katie MercerThe Sergeant's devout, anxious wife, who fears the parish's opinion but grows brave in defence of her husband.
- Reverend Daniel PorteousThe parish minister, sincere and stern, who treats his principles as unbending and demands the bird's death.
- Peter SmellieA draper and elder who gossips, holds a grudge against the Sergeant, and carries a dangerous secret of his own.
- Jock HallA ragged outcast and poacher who has suffered terrible cruelty and finds, unexpectedly, a friend in the Sergeant.
- Mary SempleA timid orphan, badly treated by her guardian, who finds a loving home with the Sergeant and Katie.
- John SpenceLord Bennock's old keeper and the Sergeant's cousin, who once spared the young poacher and now fights for him.
- Corporal Andrew DickA veteran and fellow soldier who believes in the Sergeant's character and speaks up for him to the minister.
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The Starling in 25 languages, side by side, paragraph by paragraph, once the book texts are online: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
The Starling
by Norman Macleod · 1867
A retired sergeant refuses to kill a talking starling, and a whole Scottish parish takes sides.
Medium level2–5 hours to read2 languages
Learn a language with medium classicsSpanishFrenchGermanItalianJapanesePortugueseEnglishHow we measure levels
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In short
What would you do if your minister ordered you to kill your dead child's pet bird? In a Scottish village, a retired soldier is asked exactly that, and his answer splits a whole parish.
The Starling at a glance
- Reading time
- About 4 h 10 min3 h 20 min fast, 5 h slow
- Length
- 59,600 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1867by Norman Macleod
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A poacher turned soldier turned elder
The story opens with gossip. Peter Smellie, a shopkeeper and church elder, whispers that Sergeant Adam Mercer was once a poacher. The news is true.
Thirty years earlier, young Adam slipped onto the moors to shoot grouse for the thrill of dodging gamekeepers. One summer dawn John Spence, the keeper and his mother's cousin, catches him. Adam does not run or fight. He gives himself up with a smile.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1867
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 4 h 40 min
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Macleod, Norman. The Starling. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-starling.
Macleod, N. (2026). The starling. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-starling (Original work published 1867)
Macleod, Norman. The Starling. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-starling.
@book{macleod2026starling,
author = {Macleod, Norman},
title = {The Starling},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-starling},
note = {First published 1867}
}
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What is The Starling by Norman Macleod about?
It follows Sergeant Adam Mercer, a retired soldier and church elder in a Scottish village, who refuses his minister's order to kill his dead son's talking starling. The quarrel divides the parish and tests everyone involved.
Who is Jock Hall in The Starling?
Jock Hall is a ragged village outcast and former poacher, shunned by everyone. He visits the Sergeant to curse the church, finds unexpected kindness, and slowly becomes a loyal friend who helps in the Sergeant's time of need.
What does the starling say and why does it matter?
The bird says I'm Charlie's bairn and A man's a man for a' that. The first links it to the Sergeant's lost son, and the second, from a Burns song, expresses the worth of every person.
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