Books
Scotland the Best – our stunning islands pictured
‘Through the lenses of inspired photographers, meticulous in their craft and immersed in their subjects, we may see the Scottish islands afresh: their rare beauty, atmosphere and essence.’ If there is one guide you can count on to inspire you to get out and discover (or rediscover) all that Scotland has to offer, it is…
Read MoreCelebrating the best spots for wild swimming
Swimmers of all backgrounds share their experiences and recommendations amongst the seas, burns, rivers and over 30,000 lochs in Scotland. A guide that not only shows you the best spots to sink into but also the tips, safety, etiquette and responsibility that should come hand-in-hand with wild swimming. A great gift for those bobble-hat-wearing swimmers…
Read MoreRoyal Scots Club announce first guests of 2022
The Royal Scots Club have announced the first of their Literary Lunches in 2022 will feature Louise Welsh discussing her latest book The Second Cut. Welsh’s thrilling and atmospheric book marks the return of Glasgow-based Auctioneer Rilke, which Val McDermid said: ‘I doubt I’ll read a better book this year.’ Scottish Field’s review of the…
Read MoreA modern gothic thriller set in Glasgow
A novel that manages to be colourful, gritty, modern, and gothic all within its 368 pages. Twenty years after the events of Welsh’s The Cutting Room, Glasgow is a vastly different scene for the LGBTQ+ community as improvements in human rights, technology, dating (see: hook-up) apps, and even Covid regulations have changed the landscape. When…
Read MoreFind out just who George Heriot was
The name George Heriot may be familiar from the stately school building on Edinburgh’s Lauriston Place or the sign mid-way down the rambling steps of Fleshmarket Close. However, Finlay’s pithy historical fiction about Queen Anne’s jeweller adds some substance to the name and spans Heriot’s remarkable adult life. It may take a moment to acclimatise…
Read MoreAn engrossing tribute to the River Truim
This is a meandering love letter comprised of thoughts, anecdotes, recollections and folklore, both those passed down through generations and those still unfolding. Terence Clifford-Amos follows in the footsteps of John Inglis Hall’s beloved book about the River Truim, How to Fish in a Highland Stream. You can feel the regard that Clifford-Amos holds for…
Read MoreThe return of Sherlock Holmes – in a special collection
Life is returning to normal following the COVID years, but what has been a constant during this time is our love of books. People have turned to much-loved authors and in particular crime books and this high level of interest is continuing. Sherlock Holmes remains a fascinating and enduring character in the history of British…
Read MoreA bygone Scotland captured in photography
This is a concise paperback edition of the bestselling Scottish photographic book. In the early 1960s, in the course of recording a Dunfermline mill building that was scheduled for demolition, RCAHMS surveyors discovered an incredible collection of over 800 glass plate negatives. Taken between 1880 and 1919, the photographs are a remarkable record of a…
Read MoreAn alternative look at Highland land reform
Prominent land reformer Jim Hunter has produced a compelling account of the modern-day Highlands. Here, there is a battle between environmentalists’ attempts to conserve the nature and landscapes, and the Highlanders themselves trying to preserve their way of life and their culture. This thought-provoking read considers both viewpoints: the Highlanders feel they have a better…
Read MoreAn immersive history on the creation of Scotland
‘The story of a “crucible of nations” is not of any single people, much less a modern nation-state. It’s about shared heritage and interaction, without ignoring these different voices.’ On one of Edinburgh’s many, many dreich days, there is nowhere better to be than rambling through the extensive collections on display at the National Museum…
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