Books
A biography of the Scot who created Armistice Day
This biography gives long overdue credit to Scotsman Rosslyn Wemyss and his creation of Armistice Day. From when he first joined the navy in 1877 at the young and inexperienced age of 13, it follows his path through military service all the way to becoming one of the most important senior naval officers in WWI…
Read MoreThe Stillman is a novel packed with dark humour
The Stillman is Tom McCulloch’s first novel and the characterisation of protagonist Jim Drever surely draws on the author’s upbringing in the Highlands. We’re in 2010, the worst winter in years, and Jim, stillman at a Highland distillery, has just turned 50. His obsessions are his comfortingly predictable job, and the movies, full of fictional…
Read MoreBoswell Book Festival returns online this month
Following the success of this year’s Boswell Book Festival which was a virtual event in June, the event will be once more available online from 29-31 October. Named in honour of Ayrshire’s James Boswell, the inventor of modern biography, the festival is the world’s only festival dedicated to biography and memoir, and moved online this…
Read MoreA gripping mystery full of historical facts
Original Death is the third book in Eliot Pattison’s colonial mystery series – following on from Bone Rattler and Eye Of The Raven. It sees exiled Scottish clan chief Duncan McCallum attempting to solve the murder of an entire village of Native Americans during the pre-revolutionary era. Pattison’s writing incorporates historical fact and is all…
Read MoreThe perfect companion for salmon fishing lovers
Salmon Flies: Past and Present is a fascinating guide for salmon fishing enthusiasts. It contains detailed dressings for 28 flies, including fully dressed flies, hairwings, Spey flies and shrimp patterns. As well as instructions on how to create these beautiful flies, the author has included possible alternatives to any hard to find, illegal or expensive…
Read MoreA fascinating look at Scotland’s eagles
Jim Crumley has been described as ‘the best nature writer working in Britain today,’ and this work on the return to Scotland of the magnificent white-tailed eagle – or sea eagle – certainly proves that point. Crumley’s beautiful, descriptive prose paints a magnificent picture of these most graceful and majestic creatures. Crumley has spent years…
Read MoreThe ‘forgotten’ daughter of Sir William Burrell
The Burrell Collection reopens next year, and houses over 8,000 objects in the south side of Glasgow. Collected by shipping magnate Sir William Burrell and his wife, Constance, this treasure trove was bequeathed to the city in 1944. The Burrells were a very private couple and many assumed that the collection had been left to…
Read MoreScots writer charts his Eastern European train travels
A Scots author has written an inspirational account about the ups and downs of solo travel through Eastern Europe. Inspired by a life-long passion for travel, Stuart McMillan, who was born and brought up in Monifieth and now lives in Edinburgh, embarked on an epic journey of over 2,000km, crossing the continent from the Baltic…
Read MoreA fascinating look at the churches of Glasgow
Anyone who walks around Glasgow can’t fail to be impressed with its architecture. Despite being someone who has lived in the west of Scotland for the vast majority of his life, there are times when I forget to look around me and appreciate the beautiful buildings which are there. Some of the most impressive of…
Read MoreA fascinating life after swapping Glasgow for Japan
With a title like Fish Town, despite what you might expect, this book does not centre around fish. You should, after all, never judge a book by its cover. Instead Fagan brings us his debut memoir telling the very personal and often hilarious story of how he traded Scottish life in sunny Glasgow for Yaizu,…
Read More