Posts Tagged ‘reviews’
A Tomb with a View offers a fascinating insight
While the more superstitious among us avoid graveyards or simply hold our breath while passing them, Peter Ross finds them curiously comforting. He whiled away the hours in the Old Town cemetery in Stirling as a boy. The Glasgow-based writer, one of Scotland’s finest essayists, admits that deciphering old gravestones was one of the ways…
Read MoreA study of nature writing and the Scottish ecology
Kathleen Jamie introduces Antlers of Water, a collection of modern Scottish nature writing with a huge focus on our pressing ecological crisis. This is apparent in most of the 23 commissioned writings by various Scottish authors, the diversity between each of their chapters refl ective of Scotland’s unique environment. There’s an intriguing mix of prose,…
Read MoreA helpful guide to training cocker spaniels
There has been a recent upsurge in the popularity of working cockers, but this hyperactive breed is not always the easiest to train. Author Janet Menzies has produced a really well written and helpful book aimed specifically at new owners, which takes the reader all the way through from the puppy stage to working the…
Read MoreA celebration of 1000 Scots words and phrases
Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers: A Treasury of 1,000 Scottish Words details a huge array of Scottish words and phrases, in what is a joyously eclectic mix. From the ‘airt o’ the clicky’ to ‘yowe trummle’, it is by no means an exhaustive collection of tropes – rather the author has handpicked some of his favourites.…
Read MoreTaking the plunge to enjoy the power of wild swimming
Heart-warming and fascinating, Taking the Plunge: The Healing Power of Wild Swimming for Mind, Body & Soul is fantastic. Written by two women who formed a bond through their love of wild swimming, reading this book feels like having a conversation with old friends. Deacon and Allan detail the lives of wild swimmers, showing how…
Read MoreBill Paterson narrates a history of ships and shipping
Scottish actor Bill Paterson has narrated the funny, sad and enlightening Hurricane Hutch’s Top 10 Ships of the Clyde. First published in 2013 this book is as much a social history as it is about ships and shipping. Bill Paterson’s uniquely recognisable voice brings a gentleness and authority to the storytelling, bringing alive Captain Robin…
Read MoreCap Classique: Are these the world’s best-value bubbles?
Peter Ranscombe celebrates 50 years of South Africa’s flagship sparkling wine. IF YOU went to a party and all the guests were sparkling wines then you’d be able to spot the usual suspects. There’s Champagne over there, holding court, and hogging the limelight. Then there’s Prosecco in the middle of the dance floor, causing trouble…
Read MoreThe hills are in this author’s blood
Born in Bonnybridge, author Ian McNeish is an unlikely climbing enthusiast, but the hills are in his blood. This endearing memoir details the lifelong love aff air with the mountains enjoyed by this self-confessed ‘dedicated amateur’, yet there is much to like about this book. While its production values are weak and it could do…
Read MoreMurder mystery in Inverness is a change
The Blood is Still is a crime thriller set in Inverness, a refreshing change from Glasgow or Edinburgh. After a body clothed in 18th-century Highland dress is found on Culloden battlefield, young reporter Rebecca Connolly begins following the story, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. The author’s background as a journalist/investigator adds a layer…
Read MoreA celebration of Scotland in photographs
Well-known Dundonian photographer Shahbaz Majeed has assembled a dizzyingly diverse range of 126 landscape images from every corner of Scotland. Presented in landscape format, they act as a lovely aide memoire for our wilder areas – whether it’s Portencross, Glencoe or Loch Awe, there were classic shots of places many of us will know and…
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