MacCloud falls is an absorbing and pleasant read

Scottish antiquarian Gilbert travels to British Columbia to research an early settler he believes may have been his runaway grandfather. Here, he strikes up an unexpected connection with a woman he meets on the plane. Beautifully descriptive and almost lyrical in parts, I was transfixed by the vibrant scenery. If you like short, punchy chapters…

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Argyll celebrated in geography and biography

Author Ian Bradley’s love of Argyll shines through as he takes both a geographical and biographical approach. He looks at the interplay of landscape and Christian belief through figures such as Columba, Carswell, sundry Campbells, George Matheson, George MacLeod and others. Drawing on original research and interviews, this is an enthralling and fascinating read for…

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The story of the man behind New Lanark

The first full biography of David Dale, founding father of socialism, this book reflects 30 years of research. David J McLaren came to know about Dale through an interest in Robert Owen’s New Lanark, the famous 18th-century cotton-spinning community, and his attempts to forge a ‘new view’ of society. But it was during Dale’s ownership…

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Remembering a forgotten Scots explorer

William Speirs Bruce’s name has been largely forgotten in the realms of polar exploration and research. He was a Scottish nationalist and naturalist who led the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (1902-1904), This book examines his life, a determined passion for oceanography and his own personal struggles as someone who appears to have been on the…

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New book mines rich seams for historical insight

Marian Pallister tells the story of Argyll and its rich mining history in Not a Plack the Richer. Using in-depth research into official records, letters and maps, she has produced an informative and absorbing tome. Pallister’s great grandfather was a County Durham miner who moved to Argyll, so she was inspired to write on this…

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