When Scottish steam drove the country forward

Scotland shaped the railway industry; the railway industry shaped Scotland. Respected photo journalist Keith Langston looks at the local and national contributors to Scottish locomotive production, for example, Dübs & Co,  which elevated Scottish steam to the world’s stage. A thorough insight into the different classes of railway that emerged from the late 19th to…

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New bid to urge S1-S3 pupils to read for pleasure

A new app to get youngsters reading has been launched by the Scottish Book Trust. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joined Portobello High School students from S1-S3 to launch a new app, Bookzilla, at Portobello Library. Developed by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, and digital agency Dubit, Bookzilla is…

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The memories of 57 Great War veterans preserved

From his interviews with 57 veterans of the Great War, mainly from the north east of Scotland, Jock Duncan has captured first-hand accounts of the horror and survival of one of the darkest periods in our history. A substantial glossary is useful for those less familiar with the north east dialect of the soldiers. In…

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New Lanark to host its first book festival

New Lanark World Heritage Site is delighted to hold its inaugural Book Festival next month. As a historic hub of learning and leisure, on Saturday 14 September, visitors can meet and chat with award-winning children’s authors Chae Strathie and Keith Charters in interactive and engaging sessions. Chae Strathie is the author of many funny fabulous…

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Archie was a shining light in 66 years of service

During her 30 years of marriage to Archie, Anne MacEachern gathered notes of her late husband’s recollections from his 66 years of service with the Northern Lighthouse Board to write this wonderful book. The chronological story takes readers through the lighthouse keeper’s personal journey and provides an important record of a career, once essential to…

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Celebrating of the life of a special woman

Miss Cranston follows the life of this remarkable Glasgow businesswoman, the success of her Victorian Glasgow tea rooms and her collaboration with renowned designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Perilla Kinchen reveals Miss Cranston’s ‘successful formula’ and eccentric characteristics in an engaging style which entices readers to continue. This revised edition of the 1999 publication includes over…

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Loch Ness Monster vs environmental waste

A lonely, scared Nessie ventures through a maze of tunnels to find new friends, but discovers her journey hampered by the sea of plastic which blocks her return. Forced to continue on she encounters a whole new world and with the help of her new acquaintances conquers the effects of pollution to make her way…

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The River Clyde – seen from end to end

This is a light-hearted profile of the River Clyde, interspersed with bright, scenic images of geographical, social and industrial interest. Lush meadows mix with historic bridges, and impressive falls, notably Corra Linn, described by Wordsworth as ‘The Clyde’s most majestic daughter’. From coast to coast, Happer guides us playfully through the unpredictable ebbs and flows…

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Blood mystery at the heart of tense new thriller

The End of the Line comes from Gillian Galbraith, a former advocate at the Scottish Bar, specialising in medical negligence and author of the bestselling Alice Rice Mysteries comes a tense new thriller. When a 90-year-old man is found dead in his Edinburgh mansion, the bibliophile reviewing the old man’s documentation questions the circumstances surrounding…

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Book is bringing the capital’s food scene to life

The vibrant food and drink scene of Edinburgh and the east coast is superbly presented in this latest ‘Get Stuck In’ regional cook book. Accompanied by stunning photography the book showcases some of the best fine dining, gastro pubs and afternoon tea options in the area, along with some of its best food producers. From…

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