Books
Leaving it all behind in a bid to destress
In February 2019, award-winning writer Alex Roddie left his online life behind and headed for the highlands. The constant bleeping of blue screens vying for his attention Alex Roddie – an outdoor writer, photographer and editor who lives in Lincolnshire – at breaking point. Seeking headspace from his rising anxiety levels, he took on a…
Read MoreFour finalists for the 2021 Highland Book Prize
The Highland Society of London and Moniack Mhor Writers’ Centre have today announced the shortlist for the 2021 Highland Book Prize. This annual award celebrates the finest work that recognises the rich culture, heritage, and landscape of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The prize aims to showcase the literary talent of the region and to…
Read MoreThe Heretic is a gripping read from start to end
The prequel to The Heretic, Liam McIlvanney’s The Quaker, earned him ‘The Scottish Crime Book of the Year’ prize. I’ve little doubt this will do just as well. It has all the ingredients for a classic piece of crime fiction: a dark, gritty plot, authentic characters and an unpredictable ending. Set in Scotland’s Dear Green…
Read MoreDelight as novel wins New Zealand Booklovers Award
A Scots-based writer’s first historical thriller has won the New Zealand Booklovers Award for Best Adult Fiction Book 2022. Written by Kiwi-born David Bishop, who has lived in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, for more than 20 years, City of Vengeance took the prize at the awards, which were announced last week. Writing as D.V. Bishop, the…
Read MoreCelebrating a painter in a windswept Scots village
Joan Eardley’s paintings of Catterline, a place she first visited in 1951 and subsequently made her home, are among her best-loved works. But this is more than a fleeting glance at her colourful landscapes. Featuring photos of locals, interviews with villagers, and letters penned by Eardley herself, this book adds colour to her artistic tale…
Read MoreThe Clanlands Almanac is a celebration of Scotland
Outlander fans can breathe a sigh of relief. That’s right, actors Heughan and McTavish have gifted their devoted fan base another cornucopia of all things Alba, including a compendium of historical trivia and a cask full of whisky-soaked japes. An ode to their homeland, her history and her people, Heughan dubbed this ‘an odyssey through…
Read MoreA novel with a difference from Denzil Meyrick
If you’ve previously enjoyed Denzil Meyrick’s trademark Tartan Noir, expect a rather gentler read here. Following on from A Large Measure of Snow, we return to the fictional fishing town of Kinloch on Kintyre. As a former distillery manager, Meyrick is well acquainted with the water of life, and so it is that two of…
Read MoreThe climbing ambitions of Hamish MacInnes
Few names are as synonymous with the British climbing scene as that of MacInnes. A trailblazing Scot from Gatehouse of Fleet known as ‘The Fox of Glencoe’, he took on solo yomps up The Matterhorn, attempted to scale Everest four times, survived an avalanche, invented lifesaving climbing equipment including an all-metal ice axe and a…
Read MoreThe life story of the Big Yin – in his own words
I didn’t think it possible to love this comedy stalwart any more than I already did, but then this book landed on my desk. Told through a dictaphone and transcribed by his family, this is the first time Sir Billy Connolly has shared his life story in his own words. He of course treats us…
Read MoreDog days with sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter
‘Olive leapt onto one of the luggage trolleys and we were able to wheel her, like a midsized suitcase, to the lifts. What’s more, she seemed to enjoy the process, moving along in a stately fashion past the hotel manager, who forced a tolerant smile.’ And just like that, Cotter, Olive and Mabel have been…
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