Books
Explore Scotland’s inspirational literary locations
Sir Walter Scott, JM Barrie, Irvine Welsh and JK Rowling are among a few of the greatest writers influenced by Scotland’s beautiful landscapes. The mysterious closes of Edinburgh, the untouched wilderness of Dumfries & Galloway and the romantic Shetland coastlines have all painted literature for generations. From page to place, come to Scotland and discover the locations where the stories of famous characters Peter Pan,…
Read MoreHistorical adventures after Culloden
I’m normally a fan of historical novels so Son of a Jacobite sounded right up my street. Beginning at Culloden in 1746, Thomas Lovat enters the world on the same day that his father is killed in action. Inspired by the author’s family heritage to the Clan Fraser of Lovat, the novel takes its protagonist…
Read MoreThe perfect book for Scottish lighthouse fans
If, like Sarah Kerr, you are an avid pharologist (the technical term for lighthouse enthusiasts) then this guide is the perfect purchase for you. It’s the only one of its kind to provide a comprehensive listing of more than 600 lighthouses in Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands. The…
Read MoreCharting Scotland’s long history through verse
An anthology of poetry charting Scotland’s journey through the high and low points of its history using the medium of verse. This unique poetic saunter through the centuries also includes a useful little explanation of the background and the events that led to the penning of each poem. This book is the perfect way to…
Read MoreWorld War I – as seen first hand in the trenches
Mud and Bodies is a fascinating collection of letters and extracts from the war diaries of Captain NAC Weir during the period 1914-1920. The diaries were found by his grandson shortly after his death and provide a first-hand account of the life of a young soldier on the Western Front during WW1. It includes an…
Read MoreA look at one of nature’s deadliest journeys
With a foreword by HRH Prince Charles, Norman Matheson examines the remarkable life-cycle of the Atlantic Salmon as it undertakes one of the most underappreciated but deadly journeys in nature. From small tributaries in the River Spey, on to the food sources of the North Atlantic, the salmon’s odyssey is told in Matheson’s lively and engaging style. His infectious passion can be felt…
Read MoreCelebrating the life of activist the Gaelic Guerrilla
Roy Pederson tells the story of language activist John Angus Mackay who became known as ‘the Gaelic Guerrilla’ as a result of his tireless eff orts to successfully save the Gaelic tongue from extinction in Scotland. As someone who is not a particularly ardent enthusiast for books on language history, I struggled to make my…
Read MoreA celebration of the tenacious foxes
Each time I have seen a fox, both rural and urban, I have been struck by their oddly captivating quality. Their resourcefulness, intelligence and tenacity are just some of the qualities which are celebrated in ecologist Adele Brand’s thought-provoking exploration of one of Britain’s most familiar, enigmatic and misunderstood creatures. Charmingly written, this book will…
Read MoreScotland’s ancient ties with the Vikings
For Paul Murton, the mythical call of the Orkney and Shetland isles has been strong since his childhood. Thanks to his father’s Norwegian background, Paul spent a lot of his childhood travelling extensively among the islands of Norway’s fjord-riven west coast or tramping through the snowfields of Hardangervidda. But Scotland’s own northern isles remained a…
Read MoreShortlist of four for the Highland Book Prize
The shortlist of four contenders for the 2019 Highland Book Prize has been announced. Competition organisers have named the four books published in 2019 which judges deem the best titles with a Highland connection. They are: The Frayed Atlantic Edge: A Historian’s Journey from Shetland to the Channel by David Gange (William Collins); Surfacing by…
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