Posts Tagged ‘book reviews’
A handy guide to Scotland’s spiritual background
The Traveller’s Guide to Sacred Scotland is a user-friendly guide to early Scottish settlements: from the Neolithic Age of cupmarked stones to the tired remains of the 16th century, when religious institutions fell victim to the violent throes of the Reformation. Marianna Lines also examines Scotland’s geographical idiosyncrasies in the context of inherited folk tales…
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 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 MoreWhen 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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreArchie 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…
Read MoreCelebrating 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…
Read MoreLoch 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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