Books
The Good Books, Fiona Watson: ‘As a historian I adored Hilary Mantel’s commitment to research and being faithful to the facts’
Fiona Watson on reading the Narnia books as a child, her favourite book of the year and being inspired by Hilary Mantel. The first book I remember reading: The one that springs to mind is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as I read all the Narnia books when I was nine or…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Mhairi Collie: ‘I have been an Outlander fan for a long time’
Mhairi Collie on being inspired by Alexander McCall Smith, not making it through A Little Life by Hanya, Yanagihara and her love of the Outlander series. The first book I remember reading: I think it would have to be an Enid Blyton – probably the Famous Five. I still remember all the different characters…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Alan Tylor: ‘Muriel Spark epitomised what a writer should and can be if you stick to your principles’
Alan Taylor on being inspired by Muriel Spark, the novel he most recommends and knowing if he’ll stick to a book after the first page. The first book I remember reading: I learned to read with a series of books in which the two main characters were called Janet and John. These just happened…
Read MorePalace of Holyroodhouse’s dramatic past revealed in first official history ever published
‘If these walls could talk’ might be the most fitting idiom when thinking about The Palace of Holyroodhouse. It’s journey from 12th-century abbey to official Scottish residence of His Majesty The King is peppered with royalty, glamour and even murder. Mary, Queen of Scots spent just six years at the Palace in the 1560s, but…
Read MoreHollywood star James Cosmo makes sell-out appearance at Wigtown Book Festival
Hollywood star James Cosmo made a sell-out appearance during the first weekend of the Wigtown Book Festival. The Braveheart actor told audiences about his long career, starring in everything from Highlander to Game of Thrones, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Trainspotting. The fact that he was a big man and an accomplished rider proved to…
Read MoreWigtown Book Festival gets underway with The Hebridean Baker, Sue Lawrence and Irvine Welsh
Scotland’s National Book Town will burst into life with the start of the annual Wigtown Book Festival this week. Well-known names at this year’s event include poet Pam Ayres, The Hebridean Baker Coinneach MacLeod, food legend Sue Lawrence, Scotland’s National Chef Gary MacLean, Former BBC Moscow correspondent Martin Sixsmith, author Irvine Welsh. There will also…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Jenni Fagan: ‘I found Alice Walker at a really pivotal moment in my reading life’
Author and poet Jenni Fagan on finding her love of reading as a child, being inspired by Alice Walker and the book she always recommends. The first book I remember reading: I was reading from a really early age, I remember being in class when I was five years old and being so annoyed…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Angie Spoto: ‘I re-read The Hobbit and fell in love with it all over again’
Angie Spoto on the book she recommends to everyone, reading the books of her childhood to her son, and her favourite place to read. The first book I remember reading: Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of Rings – I read them so fast when I was a kid. I couldn’t get enough of…
Read MoreThe couple who gambled everything to become Wigtown bookshop owners
Joyce Cochrane had just discovered she was pregnant when she and her partner Ian gave up their jobs and moved from Edinburgh to revive a former bookshop in Wigtown. With no stock, no shelves in the shop, no accommodation and having no retail experience they were gambling everything on a dream. Now they are celebrating…
Read MoreThe Good Books, J.D. Oswald: ‘Realising you can stop reading something you don’t enjoy and pick up something else is liberating’
J.D. Oswald on his memories of reading as a child, how he doesn’t enjoy Dickens and becoming addicted to audiobooks. The first book I remember reading: I devoured books from the moment I was first able to read them myself, having been read to by my parents from a very early age. I have…
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