Posts Tagged ‘writing’
Novel approach to a virus in Edinburgh
Set in an Edinburgh recovering from a virus which targets young healthy people, Murder at the Music Factory is a thriller which starts at a fast pace. Unfortunately the book is littered with typos, but I still found the writing easy to read and despite not having read any of the other books in the…
Read MoreThe man behind ‘think global, act local’ in focus
Author Patrick Stephen is incredibly well versed on the life of Patrick Geddes, the biologist, sociologist and town planner behind the ‘think global, act local’ concept. The author’s contention is that there’s much to learn from the sage, particularly with reference to the current climate emergency. Geddes, who would ‘see the problem and throw himself…
Read MoreFind out what Oz Clarke picked as his ‘unexpected’ wines
Louis Latour let Oz Clarke loose in its cellars to select bottles for his ‘Tales of the unexpected’ tasting; Peter Ranscombe reports on the results. THERE’S something a wee bit weird about one wine reviewer writing about another wine reviewer’s choices – but, for Oz Clarke, I’m happy to make an exception. As a child…
Read MoreA thrilling crime novel packed with suspense
Set in the familiar backdrop of bonnie Scotland, Douglas-Home has ingeniously tapped into the country’s intrinsic qualities to create a crime novel full of suspense. The journalist turned author juxtaposes the hustle of Edinburgh city centre with the eerily quiet hills of the Highlands, cleverly setting the perfect scene for crimes to be committed, and…
Read MoreAnother success from Alexander McCall Smith
It is a rarity to find each book in a long series as enjoyable as the last, and yet McCall Smith’s 21st instalment of his much adored No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency has captured the imagination once more. Grabbing the attention from the get-go in a stifling Gaborone setting, McCall Smith’s intelligent yarn is woven with…
Read MoreStanza poetry festival approaches
STANZA, Scotland’s international poetry festival, is just a few weeks away, with excitement building for the launch of the first ever hybrid event. The past 12 months have been incredibly challenging for the cultural sector, so to be hosting a festival in this climate in any form is a bonus. Stanza 2021 will, of course,…
Read MoreAlexander McCall Smith wins Edinburgh Award
THIS year’s Edinburgh Award will be presented to author and academic Alexander McCall Smith. The emeritus professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh will receive the honour in recognition of legal career and writing success. McCall Smith has become a hugely successful novelist through his The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, The Sunday…
Read More‘Frank – get the book!’
COMEDIAN Janey Godley is among presenter Damian Barr’s guests in the first episode of The Big Scottish Book Club, which returns to the BBC Scotland channel on Sunday. Godley, who has become an internet sensation during the pandemic thanks to her satirical voiceovers of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s daily briefings, will discuss her memoir, Handstands in…
Read MoreWinners of writing awards unveiled
A POET based in Newcastle was last night named as the winner of the £1,500 Wigtown Prize. Anna Woodford, whose work was entitled Portrait of My Grandparents as Souvenirs, said: “My poem is concerned with my family history, specifically my grandfather’s experiences of having to flee wartime Poland to make a new life in Nottingham,…
Read MoreBloody Scotland names McIlvanney Prize finalists
FOUR writers have been shortlisted for The McIlvanney Prize. The winner will be announced on 18 September as part of the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival. This year’s finalists are Andrew James Greig for Whirligig, Francine Toon for Pine, Doug Johnstone for A Dark Matter, and “Ambrose Parry” – husband-and-wife team Chris Brookmyre and…
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