Books
Boswell Book Festival goes global in 2021
The world’s only book festival dedicated to biography and memoir goes global with its first virtual edition 10-16 June 2021. A new website will allow audiences to register for events as they are announced. The festival is normally held each year at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, but has had to move online because of the…
Read MoreHandy guide to fascinating spots to visit in the Lothians
Being a tourist in your own country is woefully underrated, and Jack Gillon reminds us of that in 50 Gems of the Lothians. Taking the reader on a tour of The Lothians, he looks into the region’s extensive architectural and cultural heritage, delving into the history of much-loved landmarks like Edinburgh Castle as well as…
Read MoreA gripping tale with a murder mystery on Islay
A gripping, gruesome tale of five corpses that are dug up by a peatcutter on Islay. The pace of the first few chapters feels a little slow, owing to the characters’ extensive dialogue, and the flashbacks require some concentration, but stick with it – a grisly subplot surrounding the political landscape of Britain intertwines seamlessly…
Read MoreThe battle of humanity vs nature on South Uist
Documenting the fragility of life on South Uist in the 1950s, modernist photographer Paul Strand spent three months on the island. Here, he took the time to research the juxtaposition between landscape and man, documenting how islanders have embraced and thrived off the rugged imperfection of their environment. Tir A’mhurain – ‘the land of bent…
Read MoreA memoir account of dealing with grief
Marram: Memories of Sea and Spider-Silk is a candid memoir of Leonie Charlton’s experiences in the Outer Hebrides in 2017. Seven years after her mother’s death, Marram is a heart-wrenching account of coming to terms with grief. But aside from her journey of acceptance lies her deep concern for wildlife, in particular for horses, and…
Read MoreA gripping thriller in the Scottish Highlands
Fantastically eerie and atmospheric, this Gothic thriller set in the Highlands had me hooked from chapter one. Following the life of ten-year-old Lauren, who lives with her father in the Highlands, she struggles to cope with the disappearance of her mother; a woman she greatly admires but has little memory of. On Halloween, a gaunt,…
Read MoreEscape to the wilderness with 28 fantastic bothies
When out in the wilderness, there is no sight more welcome than a bothy on the horizon – a place to dry out your kit and toast a few marshmallows round the fire. With this in mind, Allan follows on from his award-winning Scottish Bothy Bible, this time guiding his readers through a mix of…
Read MoreBilly Connolly – a life packed full of laughter
It has been a long time since I genuinely laughed out loud while reading a book – quite uncontrollably, I might add – and I should have known it would come from this hero of Scottish comedy. A master of storytelling, observation and digression, Connolly recently announced his retirement from live comedy after 50 years…
Read MoreTurning back the clock to Dundee’s tram years
I love looking at old photos that are full of character, and Lost Tramways of Scotland: Dundee is full of them. Dusting down historic images of Dundee’s tramways – which survived from the late-1800s until the mid-1950s, when their removal met substantial opposition – Waller’s book is largely a photographic record of the beautiful trams…
Read MoreA real celebration of Scotland’s women of note
An unwillingness to acknowledge women or their achievements is a thread woven through history in every corner of the globe. It’s with this in mind that Stevenson has written a collection of poems which celebrate and pay tribute to the many women who have contributed to Scottish history, from queens and scientists to salt-sellers and…
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