Books
There’s been a murder – on the very first page
Murder on Page One lives up to its title. Straightaway the reader is engulfed in a bloody murder, as Lorraine McNeill, a literary agent is found dead. A serial killer is on the loose. Short scenes are interspersed with some feisty badinage between DI Noel Osborne, a piggish throwback heading towards an early retirement, and…
Read MoreThe life of the fox – and its loss of solitude
Jim Crumley’s search for solitude and silence is as alien to us as it is a luxury. In today’s world where traffic always hums and urbanisation burrows deeper and deeper into the landscape, solitude has become an endangered species, only occasionally found in dark and rural moments of brilliance. In this edition of Crumley’s Encounters…
Read MoreScottish Book Trust campaigns to help on its birthday
The Scottish Book Trust is marking its 21st birthday by launching a new campaign to help families living in poverty through reading and books. The independent national charity has launched a new fundraising campaign to provide crucial support to vulnerable families and help fight the effects of living in poverty through reading and books. From…
Read MoreThe story of how Glasgow’s Mother India grew
The story of the famous Glasgow curry house Mother India and its founder Monir Mohammed is mixed up with recipes in this innovative book. Mother India at Home follows the format set out by celebrity chefs like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in telling a story about the chef rather than simply explaining how to cook dishes. Mohammed…
Read MoreA history of the Borders – delivered on foot
In compelling study Walking The Border, Ian Crofton documents his trek along the Anglo-Scottish Border, on foot or by train, digging deep into historical archives and listening to the stories of those along the way. In a larger sense, Crofton calls into question the borders which encircle us, restrict us, define us in a world…
Read MoreLight fantastic celebrates Scotland’s unspoiled beauty
A testimony to Scotland’s impressive array of unspoiled places of beauty is showcased in Scotland’s Still Light. Andy Hall’s well accomplished photography is coupled with the words of Scottish literary giants such as Liz Lochhead, Norman MacCaig and Edwin Morgan. Their contributions nicely supplement the curves and crags, the skies and shores of Scotland’s wholly…
Read MoreWhen the Vikings came to Strathclyde
Strathclyde and the Anglo-Saxons in the Viking Age is critical exploration of early medieval Strathclyde. It examines the neighbouring peoples that challenged its authority, taking into account the multitude of corrupted sources that distort our understanding of this period. From the Damnonii of the Clyde, to the emergence of Alba, which combined Pictish and Scottish…
Read MoreCelebrating the wonderful sights of Scotland
Pete Irvine steps off the beaten track with this Scottish guidebook, Scotland: The 100 Best Places. The author is most famous for his Scotland the Best books, but this handsome coffee table homage to Scotland gives readers the chance to share his favourite ‘magnificent’, ‘reflective’ and ‘human’ places in this great land. Packed with gorgeous…
Read MoreA collection of a Gaelic family’s works of poetry
The Glendale Bairds is an epic collection which brings to life the celebrated works and biography of Gaelic poet Niall Macleòid, as well as the unsung poetry of Macleòid’s brother, Iain Dubh, and their father, Dòmhnall Nan Òran. Together, the Macleòids tackle a plethora of themes, from the bare rudiments of human existence – love,…
Read MoreReaders’ lives: Hunter Adair and his love of the country
Growing up in Scotland makes it impossible not to fall in love with the countryside and all its beautiful wildlife. This was how countryman and farmer Hunter Adair developed and pursued his great love of animals and the farming industry. He was born and raised in Ayrshire but later moved just across the border where…
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