Books
Book examines returning wild lynx to Scotland
A new publication is looking at pros and cons of reintroducing lynx to Scotland. Published by Scotland: The Big Picture, it looks at what thing could be like if the Eurasian lynx returned to Scotland. The Lynx and Us – by ecologist Dr David Hetherington, with stunning photography of wild lynx from Laurent Geslin –…
Read MoreBook review: Japanese Whisky by Brian Ashcraft
What’s the story? Japanese whisky has been around for less than a century, and this book by Brian Ashcraft, with Idzuhiko Ueda and Yuji Kawasaki, highlights the rapid growth in the industry, revealing the secrets of the master distillers of the Far East. It features never-before-published archival images and interviews chronicling the forgotten stories of…
Read MoreThe life of Thomas Telford to be marked at festival
Thomas Telford is one of the most influential Scots of the last couple of hundred years – and yet he’s largely anonymous in the land of his birth. Many may know and recognise his name, but his contribution to not just Scotland, but the rest of the UK, often passes under the radar. A civil…
Read MoreRockpools and Daffodils by George Mackay Brown
What’s the story? Rockpools and Daffodils is a collection of diary entries by the celebrated Scots poet George Mackay Brown, written weekly for The Orcadian newspaper. These writings detail daily life on Orkney and Mackay Brown’s pondering of the goings on in the islands. Written in his distinctive style, unique to his native Orkney the…
Read MoreBook review: Flodden by Gary Mill
What’s the story? Flodden is a fantastic mixture of Scottish history and thoughtfully constructed fiction. The novel focuses on the epic battle between Scotland and England which took place on the slopes of Branxton Hill in Northumbria in 1513. It tells the story of King James IV of Scotland and a young arrow maker named…
Read MoreAppointment in Arezzo: A Friendship with Muriel Spark
What’s the Story? Alan Taylor, who has been a journalist for over 30years in Scotland, struck up a close friendship with Muriel Spark the world renowned writer after a 1990 interview in Arezzo, Italy. The book discusses Spark’s successes over her inspiring career and also addresses many of the controversies which Sparks often shied…
Read MoreBook review: The Edinburgh Quiz Book
What’s the story? Celebrating Edinburgh’s diverse riches, this quiz book invites you to come on a wide-ranging exploration of Scotland’s hilly capital. Peel away its many layers in the company of one of Edinburgh’s top Blue Badge tourist guides. Highlights The book benefits strongly from John A Duncan’s familiarity with the capital – after all,…
Read MoreBook review – The Wrong Child by Barry Gormell
What’s the Story? The Wrong Child is the stark and grim tale of Dog Evans, lone survivor when the school building in his rural village collapses. An outcast already, Dog is loathed and dreaded by the rest of the village, a reminder of the loss they faced. Gornell paints an incredibly bleak and hopeless picture…
Read MoreBook review: The Accidental Recluse
What’s the story? Johnny Jackson, now 75, used to be a famous film director returns home to Scotland for one last film and a civic honouring. After living in seduction for 30 years in Japan and working alongside – Akira and his control freak niece, Erin. His trip back home reminds him of his struggles…
Read MoreCathedrals of North of England and Scotland
What’s the story? From early Celtic influences to English reformation and the rise of Scots Calvinism, Scotland and the north of England has had a turbulent religious history. Here you will solve the mystery recently uncovered in a mass grave in the country’s oldest cathedral. Find a link to one of the UK’s most famous…
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