Posts Tagged ‘reviews’
A look at Stirling through its beautiful buildings
Stirling may be Scotland’s smallest city, but after being granted city status during the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002, its history and heritage have begun to be fully appreciated. Jack Gillon takes the reader on a tour of 50 of Stirling’s finest buildings and structures, celebrating the city’s immense architectural heritage and ancient character. With…
Read MoreA gardener’s guide to growing in Scotland
With its maritime climate, ample rainfall and rarity of really hot weather, Scotland is one of the best places in the world to garden. But choosing plants suited to the local conditions is critical. Kenneth Cox and Raoul Curtis-Machin evaluated the performance of thousands of plants in gardens all over Scotland, drawing on the knowledge…
Read MoreRemembering the lost regiments of Britain
From the very beginning, regiments formed the backbone of the British Army. It is a single institution that reflects the way the people of Britain view themselves and their past. Here, Trevor Royle explores the histories of the many regiments that have disappeared; to celebrate their existence, as well as the men and officers who…
Read MoreAn indispensible guide to historical Orkney
Despite lying only 20 miles north of mainland Scotland, for much of its history Orkney has related more to Scandinavian culture. Its particular ecosystem means there is a wealth of settlements for archaeologists and historians to explore. Caroline Wickham-Jones, a renowned expert on the island, introduces its history and outlines major places of interest for…
Read MoreA celebration of four breathtaking Scots islands
Beyond the British shores and straight out to sea lie the most exquisite islands, just waiting to be explored. Lundy, Rockall, Dogger and Fair Isle are little worlds which are unique in their rugged, breathtaking geography, their legends and folklore. Here, words and art are brought together to create a beautiful, illustrated celebration of the…
Read MoreA biography of the Scottish First Minister
Nicola Sturgeon made history when she became the first female First Minister of Scotland in 2014. But what drives the SNP’s leading lady? How has her background, family and education shaped her political life? In the first biography of Scotland’s First Minister, David Torrance examines how this woman, once described as a ‘nippy sweetie’, rose to…
Read MoreTwisting real life family history into a novel
Professor Andrew Schultz has researched his family heritage and brought it to life in Saints and Heroes. The novel follows the story of Anselm through the rugged Isle of Iona. When studying to be a priest, Anselm develops a friendship with Prince Malcolm Canmore, and the pair journey to establish Catholicism as the official religion…
Read MoreFormer Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Scotland
Written before the independence referendum, My Scotland, Our Britain is a highly personal account of Gordon Brown’s Scotland. Now, with a new afterword, the former Prime Minister reflects upon the referendum campaign and Scotland’s rejection of independence, while continuing to make the case for a constitutional settlement that further unites the country. My Scotland, Our…
Read MoreCriminal versus natural justice in crime thriller
Fastpaced and packed with twists and turns, Last Resort is the landmark 25th novel in Quintin Jardine’s Bob Skinner crime series. It shows Edinburgh’s toughest cop facing a very different kind of case. A quiet trip to Catalunya soon takes on a different flavour when Skinner is approached by an old friend with an unusual…
Read MoreIntense decisions to be made on a Scots isle
This diary-style account follows a recently widowed artist, Lenka Majewska, and a historian, Ella Collingwood, who have just arrived in the village of Balvaig, on the Scottish Isle of Soma. In what first seemed a haven of tranquillity the characters soon have intense decisions to make for their future. The second volume of the Balvaig…
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