Books
New trustees sought for Wigtown Festival Company
The Wigtown Festival Company is searching for new trustees to join its board, and help continue building on its success. While it is best-known for the flagship Wigtown Book Festival which is held over 10 days in late September and early October, WFC has a year-round programme of events and local activities including a science…
Read MoreA gripping read that will keep youngsters happy
As a boy, I always loved the stories of Robert Louis Stevenson, Enid Blyton and Arthur Ransome, when young people became involved in the adult world. Somehow or other, the youngsters involved would manage to save the day, and stop the smugglers, the thieves, or whatever villainous plots the ne’er-do-wells had in mind. There’s an…
Read MoreGrandfather’s notes make for a fascinating history
Historical discoveries are amazing things, especially if there’s a family connection. While canvassing for the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, MSP Neil Findlay made a discovery. Visiting the home that used to be his grandparents’, he was shown a plywood panel where John Jock Findlay, his grandfather, had written his life’s tale. Fascinated, Neil transcribed…
Read MoreA father’s search for justice after Lockerbie Bombing
One of the most shocking moments in Scottish history came in December 1988 when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie. In the largest attack on Britain since World War Two, as 259 passengers and 11 townsfolk of Lockerbie were murdered. Among the passengers was Flora, beloved daughter of Dr Jim Swire. Libyan Abdelbaset al-Megrahi…
Read MoreUnder the sea lie so many fascinating real stories
We’ve all had days when we’ve looked out at the sea, and wondered what lurks beneath. Sunken pirate ships, laden with gold and lost bounty? Basking sharks, swimming under the surface? Or, are there mysteries below the waves that we can’t begin to comprehend? In The Blue Wonder, marine biologist and diver Dr Frauke Bagusche…
Read MoreOn the buses for a look back at Fife transport
Public transport is something that most of us see on a regular basis. David Devoy is a devotee of buses, and his chronicles the independent bus operators that have been deployed in the Fife area in this book that will definitely grab enthusiasts of the transport. Devoy knows his subject, having written several books on…
Read MoreA tremendous read in a study of humans and nature
Peter Wohlleben is a German forester who has written several fascinating insights into the trees he works with. The best-selling author, whose previous works include the international success The Hidden Life of Trees, indulges in his life-long love of the wooded world. In his new book, drawing on new scientific discoveries, The Heartbeat of Trees…
Read MoreWigtown Book Festival launches major national essay prize
Wigtown Book Festival has announced the launch of a new national essay prize for Scotland in association with the BBC. The £1500 Anne Brown Essay Prize will be awarded for the best literary essay, published or unpublished, by a writer in or from Scotland. The annual award has been created in memory of Anne Brown…
Read MoreA gripping Scottish time travel read for children
Over the past few years, Rennie McOwan has been crafting a series of adventures for children. The Clan series, which features the adventures of Gavin, Clare, Michael and Mot, has seen them feature in Light on Dumyat, The White Stag Adventure and The Day The Mountain Moved. Jewels on the Move is the fourth in…
Read MoreOn the buses for a fascinating time in transport
We see buses on our streets every day, but there’s a fascinating story about the industry as we know it today. On 26 October 1986 Britain’s bus services were deregulated. This applied to all services operated in England, Scotland and Wales (but not in Northern Ireland or London). In the run-up to deregulation the Scottish…
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