Posts Tagged ‘Scots’
How Mary, Queen of Scots, used fabrics in policitcs
Reading Embroidering Her Truth really was a pleasant surprise. In an age when textiles expressed power, Mary, Queen of Scots exploited their symbolism artfully. The most famous example was wearing red – the martyr’s colour – at her execution, but Hunter outlines the many subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which Mary used fabrics to her…
Read MoreGlenalmond pupils complete officer training course
Two former Glenalmond College pupils, both from Perthshire, have recently passed out at Sandhurst having completed an eight-week officer training course. Ben Humphries and Gregor Cochrane, who both left Glenalmond this summer, were selected for the much sought after Gap Year Commission while they were still at school. The Glenalmond pair were among only eleven…
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…
Read MoreMonsters and more in a book for the wee ones
For a child, there’s nothing scarier than a story with monsters – but they always lose in the end. Lea Taylor has tapped into traditional Scots stories of our beasties, and written some new tales which will terrify and entertain children in equal measure. With stories like The Greedy Trows of Orkney and Kelpie Capers,…
Read MoreA complete guide to discovering the true Scotland
Scotland the Best is described as the ‘true insider’s guide to Scotland’. Author Peter Irvine has composed everything that a Scots traveller ought to know, from the best artisan cafes and restaurants to hidden gems, secret waterfalls and country walks. This is the perfect guide to Scotland for tourists planning a trip to the country…
Read MoreThe historic links between the Scots and the Flemish
Alexander Fleming has produced a fascinating and informative yet academic account of the key role that Flemish immigrants have played in Scottish history. The incomers who arrived from Flanders in the centuries after the Norman Invasion were soldiers, settlers, traders, tradesmen, diplomats and dynasts who all shared a creative outlook which helped them to adapt…
Read MoreFour out of five Scots don’t know driving offences
Nearly half of Scots drivers admit they have broken the law in one form or another whilst at the wheel. GoCompare surveyed 2,000 UK adults to find out how much they know about current driving laws, and how guilty we are as a nation of committing offences at the wheel. It seems most drivers believe…
Read MoreLife of the historic Hammer of the Scots
David Santiuste’s The Hammer of the Scots sheds a light on controversial historical figure Edward I, known as Scottorum Malleus – the Hammer of the Scots. One of medieval England’s most formidable kings, this in-depth account covers Edward’s military career, his battles and his opponents, such as Robert the Bruce and William Wallace, and also…
Read MoreA Scots division and their role in the Great War
Historian and author Colin Campbell has sewn together an expert guide to the role of the 51st (Highland) Division who ended the First World War. It was one of the best and widely recognised divisions on the Western Front. This book is perfect for those interested in the lives of Scottish soldiers as it details…
Read MoreA fascinating history of Scotland’s geology
Set In Stone, by Alan McKirdy, is a concise and lavishly illustrated introduction to the geology and landscapes of Scotland. It explains in clear language why the country looks as it does today. Ideal for the non-specialist, this account explores Scotland’s ecological journey from a time of sea and flood, and credits Scots both past…
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