Butcher's Broom is one of the seminal works of twentieth century Scottish fiction. An epic recreation of a key period of Scottish history, the Highland Clearances of the nineteenth century. The spirit of Highland culture, its sense of community and tradition, is captured while the novel's characters embody what is most vital and lasting in mankind. This is among the most moving of Gunn's works and establishes the transcendent spirituality that would be so dominant in his later work.