Search results for ""Birlinn""

Shortlisted for The Telegraph Sports Book Awards Biography of the Year 'A splendid new biography. How good was young Tom Morris? Stephen Proctor makes his case cogently. Young Tom Morris was one of the greatest of them all' - Allan Massie Young Tom Morris, the son of the legendary pioneer of golf, Tom Morris, was golf’s first superstar. Born at a pivotal moment in history, just as the new and inexpensive ‘gutty’ ball was making golf affordable and drawing thousands of new players to the game, his genius and his swashbuckling personality would set a game that had been frozen in amber for four centuries on the pathway to becoming worldwide spectator sport we know today. Exhaustively researched and beautifully illustrated, Monarch of the Green is a stirring and evocative history of Tommy’s life (which also includes, for the first time, a compilation of his competitive record in stroke-play tournaments, singles matches, and foursomes) and demonstrates how, in one dazzling decade, this young superstar dominated the sport like few others have ever done.

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A Scotland on Sunday Sports Book of the Year Take a hilarious romp through the best and worst of Scottish footballing history. The Scot who won England the World Cup. Macaroon bars and Bovril. When Dixie Deans met Bob Marley. When Davie Robb met Olivia Newton-John. When George McCluskey met the Stones. When Rick Wakeman filed match reports for Meadowbank Thistle. Triumphs and disasters, submarines and rowing boats, War and Peace (who’s read it). The Cowdenbeath kettle. The Brechin hedge. Morton’s great Danes. Icarus at East Fife. The dead pigeon sketch and the amazing technicolor booze-coat. The can girls. Those who flogged ice cream and licked Hitler. The world’s oldest conjoined twins. Inside the half-time scoreboards. Our greatest goal, our greatest assist, our keepers. Scarlett Johansson! And of course Arthur Montford - commentator, curator, favourite uncle to the nation. In Bring Me the Sports Jacket of Arthur Montford, Aidan Smith mines Scottish football history for quirk, strangeness and charm. On a journey that takes him to Albania and also Albion Rovers, great players are celebrated and so are great characters. Rediscover old legends (not told this way before) and maybe learn about new ones. If there’s a running theme it’s that our game, its participants and those who watch in the rain are one and the same thing - indomitable.

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Robert Louis Stevensonwas born in Edinburgh. The success of Treasure Island (1883) and Kidnapped (1886) established his reputation as a writer of tales of action and adventure. Stevenson's Calvinist upbringing lent him a preoccupation with predestination and a fascination with the presence of evil, themes he explored in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886)Denise Minahas won the CWA Dagger for Best First Crime Novel, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year twice, and the MacIlvanney Prize twice. She is the author of the first Darkland Tale, Rizzio (Polygon).

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The Isle of Iona, 825.In a bloody, brutal raid, Abbot Blathmac is slain on the steps of his monastery for refusing to give away the location of the sacred relics of St Columba, the missionary who first brought Christianity to Scotland. Following a night of rampage and mayhem, one Viking wakes up the next morning to find himself alone, hungover, and abandoned by his crew mates. He can''t swim, there are no boats, and the only surviving monk on the island has taken his sword. With only his wits, he must survive long enough not only to rejoin his Viking comrades, but also to find the location of the elusive relics that brought him here in the first place.Rooted in the real history of Iona and its early monks, Columba''s Bones is an utterly unique and thrilling read, exploring the clash of early Christianity and paganism, and expanding into a sharp, witty meditation on philosophy, redemption, shame, violence, love, transcendence and reality.Shortlisted forthe Highland Book Prize the Bookma

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When evil stalks the land, who can you trust?Francis Hilton is distraught at the death of his father. They weren't close, but now Fran must face the consequences of Andrew Hilton's decision to bring his daughter up as a son. Torn between her desire to be herself and the freedom and power he has as a man, Fran feels desperately alone.But he has more to worry about as the north of England braces itself for the arrival of Scottish raiders in the aftermath of the battle of Bannockburn. Dread turns to horror, however, when a monstrous figure is seen in the hills above Hilton and a grotesque offering is left in Warcop, three miles away. As violence and murder soon follow, it seems that Adam Fotheringill a local man killed escaping from Bannockburn - has returned from the dead to wreak revenge. But for what?With the threat from the Scots a priority for the authorities, Fran, Will Warcop, the local priest, and a motley band of Hilton's young people set out to deal with the Revenant. As they m

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Tales of suspense for the twilight hour... Dark Encounters is a collection of classic and elegantly unsettling ghost stories. A spine-tingling collection, these tales are set in the brooding landscape of Scotland, with an air of historic authenticity – often referring to real events, objects and people. From a demonic text that leaves its readers strangled to the murderous spectre of a feudal baron, this is a crucial addition to the long and distinguished cannon of Scottish ghost stories. For those who seek out the unnerving, the unknown and the unexplainable, Dark Encounters is guaranteed to raise the hair on the back of your neck. This edition features a rare story – 'The MacGregor Skull' – which was the last story every written by the author and posthumously serialised in the Scotsman in 1963.

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Morris Magellan wakes one morning to find himself stuck in a corporate job and living the suburban dream with a wife and two children, except this dream feels like a nightmare. Out of his depth and starting to drift from reality, we meet Morris at the precipice. Bit by bit he is losing his struggle with addiction – he just doesn’t know it yet. His only solace and escape from suburban family life and corporate duties is music and alcohol. His life is soundtracked with symphonies and concertos, every note, and every drink, carries him from moment to moment hoping to salvage something of himself before that too slips from his grasp. Harrowing but compellingly written, with humour and compassion, The Sound of My Voice is a stylistic masterpiece that presents conflict between a man’s cowardice and cruelty, and a desperate attempt to recover his humanity.

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What happens when ordinary people are faced with extraordinary choices?Jean Parris was a child when her adored father was taken away by the Nazis. As she and her mother wait anxiously for news, the life Jean thought she knew begins to fall apart.Hazel Le Tourneur has never conformed to the island's idea of perfect womanhood. But is she the worst kind of collaborator an informer?In the summer of 1945, the Liberation of Jersey has unleashed a different kind of war: one of suspicion, accusation and revenge. For among the heroism and sacrifice, there has also been betrayal and corruption. And while the beautiful island is permanently scarred by gun towers and bunkers, its people must learn to live with a different kind of wound the desire for truth.''Beyond Summerlandisa beautifully written testamentto both the resilience and duplicity of human nature'' -Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost ThingsThe second novel from New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lecoat.

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Denzil Meyrick’s three Tales from Kinloch are collected here in one paperback volume. From ghostly Vikings, to adventurous voyages, to old scores being settled, these stories are guaranteed to provide a fun-filled escape. From the author of the global best-selling DCI Daley detective books, this is a series of nostalgic, humorous stories for fans of Scottish fiction like Neil Munro’s Para Handy. Contains three stories featuring Sandy Hoynes and the crew of the Girl Maggie: A Large Measure of Snow, A Toast to the Old Stones and Ghosts in the Gloaming. 'Wonderfully atmospheric, best consumed on a chilly winter’s night in front of a roaring fire with a bottle of single malt close to hand ... offers a brief, magical escape to a kinder, simpler time' – Roger Cox, The Scotsman

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'Brilliant debut. The Darker the Night pulled me in from the start and didn’t let go' – Jeremy Bowen, BBC International Editor NPR's Book of the Day A referendum on Scottish independence is only days away, and the campaign has been expertly orchestrated by First Minister Susan Ward. All signs point to victory for the nationalists. But when senior civil servant John Millar is shot in a Glasgow alley on a furiously rain-soaked night, his death triggers a chain of catastrophic events. An incriminating phone number and video are found in his possession. Into this chaos walks reporter Fulton Mackenzie. A man himself blighted by tragedy but also someone used to seeing beneath the surface to find the truth. Who was John Millar? Who wanted him dead? And why? And the biggest question of all – who is trying to alter the future path of an entire nation?

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'Combines historical fact with the fictional narrative, and offers a cast rich with multidimensional characters. Readers will be riveted' – Publishers Weekly In June 1940, the Channel Islands becomes the only part of Great Britain to be occupied by Hitler’s forces. Hedy Bercu, a young Jewish girl from Vienna who fled to Jersey two years earlier to escape the Anschluss, finds herself once more entrapped by the Nazis, this time with no escape. The Girl From the Channel Islands follows her struggle to survive the Occupation and avoid deportation to the camps. Despite her racial status, Hedy finds work with the German authorities and embarks on acts of resistance. Most remarkable of all, she falls in love with a German lieutenant – a relationship on which her life soon comes to depend.

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'a tour de force work of art' – The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year Longlisted for the 2022 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award It's Saturday evening, 9 March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party, secure in her private chambers. She doesn't know that her Palace is surrounded – that, right now, an army of men is creeping upstairs to her chamber. They're coming to murder David Rizzio, her friend and secretary, the handsome Italian man who is smiling across the table at her. Mary's husband, Lord Darnley, wants it done in front of her and he wants her to watch it done ... Denise Mina brilliantly portrays the sexual dynamics and politics of power – between men and women, monarch and subjects, master and servants. The period is masterfully researched yet lightly drawn, the characterisation quick, subtle and utterly convincing. This breathtakingly tense work is a tale of sex, secrets and lies, one that explores the lengths that men – and women – will go to in the search for love and power.

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From Hannah Lavery, Edinburgh’s Makar. 'Speaks to and for the conflicted conscience of Scotland ... with a power and authenticity like perhaps no other' – The Scotsman In a moment that is demanding you to constantly choose your side, how do you find your humanity, your own voice, when you are being pushed to find safety in numbers? Blood Salt Spring is a meditation on where we are – exploring ideas of nation, race and belonging. Much of the collection was written in lockdown and speaks to that moment, the isolation and the traumas of 2020 but it also looks to find some meaning and makes an attempt to heal the pain and vulnerabilities that were picked and cut open again in the recent cultural shifts and political wars. Organised into three sections this book takes the reader on a journey from the old inherited wounds, the trauma of tearing open again these chasms within recent discourses and events, to a hopeful spring, where pain and trauma can be laid down and a new future can be imagined. In this collection, the poet has sought to heal these salted wounds, and move out of winter and into spring – into hope. The National Theatre of Scotland has launched a new digital visual album, Blood, Salt, Spring - a digital accompaniment to Hannah Lavery’s collection. You can view the visual album here.

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LONDON, 1942. A killer going by the name of 'Crimson Jack' is stalking the wartime streets of London, murdering women on the exact dates of the infamous Jack the Ripper killings of 1888. Has the Ripper somehow returned from the grave? Is the self-styled Crimson Jack a descendant of the original Jack or merely a madman obsessed with those notorious killings? In desperation Scotland Yard turn to Sherlock Holmes, the world’s greatest detective. Surely he is the one man who can sift fact from legend and track down Crimson Jack before he completes his tally of death. As Holmes and the faithful Watson tread the blacked out streets of London, death waits just around the corner. Inspired by the classic film series from Universal Pictures starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, which updated Sherlock Holmes to the 1940s.

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When you look at a painting, what do you really see? When eighteenth-century poet Alison Cockburn accepts a light-hearted challenge from her friend Katherine Hume to live as a man, in order to infiltrate Edinburgh’s all-male skating club, little do they both realise how her new identity will shape their future. And in the present, art historian Claire Sharp receives a mysterious request: to settle once and for all the true provenance of the iconic painting The Skating Minister. The Edinburgh Skating Club is the tale of one woman's mission to infiltrate a male-dominated society. Imaginative, romantic and ultimately moving, this time-shift adventure celebrates the women overlooked by history – and, above all, love, in all its unexpected forms.

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These poems are alive with electricity, pulsating with a frequency that vibrates throughout. In a journey from there to here, The Bone Library examines and interprets all of human life. Throughout the collection Jenni Fagan responds to broader themes of identity, of place, of love and the unloved. Written in the old Dick Vet Bone Library during the author’s time as writer-in-residence there, this is a vivid exploration that is honest and searching and cuts to the very core of what it is to be alive.

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It’s the most anticipated event of the decade: Big Lou and Fat Bob’s wedding and everyone is invited! After a wonderful day, Big Lou crashes back down to earth and finds that she is a victim of her own success. The lure of those famous bacon rolls is preventing her from leaving hungry customers without their daily dose of deliciousness – even to go for a long-awaited honeymoon. Will Big Lou find the happiness she so richly deserves? Everyone in Scotland Street hopes so, but, as Burns warned, the best laid plans ... The relative peace and tranquillity of 44 Scotland Street is about to be disrupted. Irene is to return for a two-month stay, consigning Bertie to a summer camp. Not satisfied with that, she somehow manages to come between the enigmatic nun, Sister Maria-Fiore dei Fiori di Montagna, and her friend, the hagiographer, Antonia Collie. Can a person really change, even after being struck by lightning? Bruce’s metamorphosis and new-found outlook on life is put to the test as he prepares to leave his creature comforts for the monastic simplicity of Pluscarden Abbey. His house sitter, meanwhile, gets a little too comfortable in his new life and discovers that the talented Bruce Anderson’s shoes are all too easy to slip into. With great taste comes great responsibility. Come and discover The Enigma of Garlic and join the delightful denizens of Edinburgh’s most famous address. This latest instalment of the much-loved 44 Scotland Street series is wise, witty, and full of warmth.

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The ghosts of the past will not be silenced. Glasgow, 1983, and a beat constable walks away from a bar where he knows a crime is about to be committed. It is a decision that will haunt him for the rest of his life. In the present, an old fisherman is found dead by Kinloch's shoreline and a stranger with a deadly mission moves into town. As past and present collide, D.C.I. Jim Daley must confront old friends, new foes and ghosts who will not be silenced. SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SERIES 'In high demand across the globe . . . A runaway hit . . . Readers instantly warm to Daley' - Daily Mail 'Dark humour has helped to make his books world-famous' - The Times

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Now a Major Feature Length Documentary: 'Cassius X: Becoming Ali’ (Cinema release Spring 2023) Miami, 1963. A young boy from Louisville, Kentucky, is on the path to becoming the greatest sportsman of all time. Cassius Clay is training in the 5th Street Gym for his heavyweight title clash against the formidable Sonny Liston. He is beginning to embrace the ideas and attitudes of Black Power, and firebrand preacher Malcolm X will soon become his spiritual adviser. Thus Cassius Clay will become ‘Cassius X’ as he awaits his induction into the Nation of Islam. Cassius also befriends the legendary soul singer Sam Cooke, falls in love with soul singer Dee Dee Sharp and becomes a remarkable witness to the first days of soul music. As with his award-winning soul trilogy, Stuart Cosgrove’s intensive research and sweeping storytelling shines a new light on how black music lit up the sixties against a backdrop of social and political turmoil – and how Cassius Clay made his remarkable transformation into Muhammad Ali.

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It's December 1967, and the town of Kinloch is cut off by heavy snow. With all roads closed, the only way to feed and water the townsfolk is for the fishing fleet to sail to Girvan for much needed supplies. But the skipper of the Girl Maggie, Sandy Hoynes, has a problem. First mate Hamish has, to everyone's astonishment, been chosen as Young Fisherman of the Year by a Glasgow newspaper. Marooned in the town and with one eye on a scoop, their reporter decides to join the fishing crew on their mercy mission. The thought of the publicity - and some remuneration - delights Hoynes. But Hamish hasn't told him the whole story. As the blizzards worsen, the crew of the Girl Maggie embark upon a trip like no other, encountering ghostly Vikings, gigantic crustaceans and a helpful seagull.

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Edited by Lilias Fraser, Jane Cooper and Kate Hendry, To Learn the Future is a selection of poems that will grip at first reading – perfect if the only time you have is five minutes in a rushed lunch break. The choice of poems includes insight for days when teachers need to find extra courage, compassion and commitment, as well as celebration of the inspirational, the funny and the reflective. This is a pocket-sized reminder of the integrity, passion and commitment that inspires people to become teachers, and the wealth of experience and voices in classrooms and staffrooms. With these poems to hand, for the good days and the tough moments, no teacher is ever alone.

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'A hugely entertaining, deftly told crime caper' – Irish Independent A CRIME READERS ASSOCIATION Read of the Month When Daniella Coulstoun’s estranged mother Effie dies in Spain under suspicious circumstances, she feels it’s her duty to fly out for the funeral. On arrival, Daniella is confronted by a dangerous group of expat misfits who claim that Effie stole huge sums of cash from them in a multi-million property scam. They want the money back and Daniella is on the hook for it. When a suspicious Spanish detective begins to probe Effie’s death and a London gangster hears about the missing money, Daniella faces threats on every front. With no idea where the cash is and facing a seemingly impossible deadline, she quickly finds herself out of her depth and fighting for survival in a strange and terrifying world.

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A mixture of Morgan’s science fiction poems and concrete poems. There’s the famous encounter between humans and aliens in ‘The First Men on Mercury’, early digital tongue-twisting in ‘The Computer’s First Christmas Card’ and the effects of teleportation in ‘In Sobieski’s Shield’ – on earth or in outer space Morgan explores what it is to be human.

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Bale Fire is a book in three cycles. The first explores the darker side of communities in decline. The middle is a transposition of elements and characters of the Odyssey to a Scottish hill farm and its neighbours. The final part looks at the idea of harvest and loss. Jim Carruth offers here both a celebration and an elegy. The poems in this collection address the themes of our time: war, friendship, honesty, violence, humanity and love.

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Caroline Rose has a problem. She hears voices and the incessant tapping of typewriter keys, and she seems to be a character in a novel . . . A comedy of errors, a crime novel, a book about books, Spark’s debut remains as otherworldly and mischievous as it was when first published sixty years ago. The publishers acknowledge investment from Creative Scotland towards the publication of this book. Supported by the Muriel Spark Society.

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As a child Iain Crichton Smith was raised speaking Gaelic on the island of Lewis. At school in Stornoway he spoke English. Like many islanders before and since, his culture was divided: two languages and two histories entailing exile. His divided perspective delineated the tyranny of history and religion, of the cramped life of small communities, and gave him a compassionate eye for the struggle of women and men in a world defined by denials. After the Dance proves that big themes – love, history, power, submission, death – can be addressed without the foil of irony and acquire resonance when given a local habitation and a voice that risks pure, humane, impassioned speech. This updated edition includes the story ‘Home’

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FULLY REVISED AND EDITED PAPERBACK EDITION Shortlisted for Penderyn Music Prize Detroit 67 is the story of Motor City in the year that changed everything. Twelve chapters take you on a turbulent year-long journey through the drama and chaos that ripped through the city in 1967 and tore it apart in personal, political and interracial disputes. It is the story of Motown, the break-up of The Supremes and the damaging disputes at the heart of the most successful African-American music label ever. Set against a backdrop of urban riots, escalating war in Vietnam and police corruption, the book weaves its way through a year when soul music came of age and the underground counterculture flourished. LSD arrived in the city with hallucinogenic power and local guitar band MC5 - selfstyled holy barbarians of rock - went to war with mainstream America. A summer of street-level rebellion turned Detroit into one of the most notorious cities on earth, known for its unique creativity, its unpredictability and self-lacerating crime rates. The year 1967 ended in social meltdown, rancour and intense legal warfare as the complex threads that held Detroit together finally unravelled. Features the story of DETROIT, a major motion picture.

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This anthology promises more of the up-and-coming and established names in British poetry, who have all shared the Neu! Reekie! bill. Many of the works are new, many are favourites read at the events; all are savoured, sublime, sumptuous voices within poetry already. Contributors include: Jackie Kay, Kathleen Jamie and Liz Lochhead as well as younger poets: Rachel McCrum and Ryan van Winkle and poets from the spoken word circuit: Luke Wright and Ross Sutherland. Accompanying the book is a downloadable compilation album.

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Following on from the runaway success of The Magicians of Edinburgh, renowned poet and novelist Ron Butlin conjures up Scotland’s past, present and future in this new collection. From Skara Brae and the Roman invasion to the independence referendum and beyond, the former Edinburgh Makar explores what Scotland means to itself and to the outside world. With his customary wit and insight, he takes a good hard look at some of its magicians – from James Hutton to Professor Peter Higgs, from Robert Burns to Dame Elizabeth Blackadder and even Tony Blair. Underlying all these poems is a deep love for Scotland’s uniqueness, and its magic!

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Scapa Flow was one of the world's great naval bases and the scene of many of the major events of twentieth-century naval history. During both World Wars, the Royal Navy made Scapa the home for its capital ships, and thousands of servicemen and women were posted to Orkney. From here the Grand Fleet sailed for Jutland in 1916, from here the escorts for the Russian convoys set off, and it was in this beautiful, bleak anchorage that the German High Seas fleet committed the greatest act of suicide ever seen at sea – 'The Grand Scuttle' – before being later raised and scrapped in the most astonishing feat of maritime salvage in history. It was also in Scapa that the last photographs of Kitchener were taken as he boarded HMS Hampshire, shortly before she was sunk by mine off Marwick Head. Scapa is also the grave of many who fought for their country in both World Wars. In its silent waters lie the wrecks of the battleship Vanguard, blown apart by an explosion in 1917, and the Royal Oak, sunk by U-47 in a spectacular raid at the beginning of World War II . Here the first Luftwaffe raids on Britain occured, here too Italian prisoners-of-war built both the spectacular Churchill causeways and the exquisite chapel on the island of Lamb Holm. In this book, illustrated with over 130 archive photographs, James Miller traces the story of this remarkable place, weaving together history, eyewitness accounts and personal experience to capture the life and spirit of Scapa Flow when it was home to thousands of service personnel and the most powerful fleet in the world.

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In 1918, as the First World War was drawing to a close, the eminent liberal industrial Lord Leverhulme bought - lock, stock and barrel - the Hebridean island of Lewis. His intention was to revolutionise the lives and environments of its 30,000 people, and those of neighbouring Harris, which he shortly added to his estate.For the next five years a state of conflict reigned in the Hebrides. Island seamen and servicemen returned from the war to discover a new landlord whose declared aim was to uproot their identity as independent crofter/fishermen and turn them into tenured wage-owners. They fought back, and this is the story of that fight. The confrontation resulted in riot and land seizure and imprisonment for the islanders and the ultimate defeat for one of the most powerful men of his day.The Soap Manpaints a beguiling portrait of the driven figure of Lord Leverhulme, but also looks for the first time at the infantry of his opposition: the men and women of Lewis and Harris who for lon

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Christine Leach moved to Mull more than 30 years ago. She established Pennyghael in the Past Historical Archive, and set about exploring and recording the remains of townships in the Brolas area.Andrea Cameron is an Archivist and Local Historian who has completed local history projects in both Northumberland and the Isle of Mull.Miek Zwamborn is a Dutch author and visual artist based on Mull where she co-runs the creative hub KNOCKvologan.Elizabeth Carter has been gardener at Bolton Castle, Yorkshire, since 2015 where she has replanted the herb garden, now containing over 100 species of plants.

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Since its first publication in 1984, Night Falls in Ardnamurchan has become a classic account of the life and death of a Highland community. The author weaves his own humorous and perceptive account of crofting with extracts from his father's journal - a terse, factual and down to earth vision of the day-to-day tasks of crofting life. It is an unusual and memorable story that also illuminates the shifting, often tortuous relationships between children and their parents. Alasdair Maclean reveals his own struggle to come to terms with his background and the isolated community he left so often and to which he returned again and again. In this isolated community is seen a microcosm of something central to Scottish identity - the need to escape against the tug of home.

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After training and working as a chartered surveyor, Carina Contini and her husband Victor set up Centotre now Contini George Street in Edinburgh. She maintains a high profile in the food and drink industry, having been Glenfiddich Food Personality of the Year and Harpers and Queens Food Personality Scotland. Carina has written on food and drink for The Scotsman since 2012 and regularly contributes to The Herald and BBC Scotland.

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Vegan recipe developer Jackie Jones provides a huge selection of recipes for deliciously vegan versions of classic Scottish as well as newly designed dishes using healthy ingredients and cooking techniques, including braising, sprouting and steaming.This book includes wholesome vegan versions of Haggis, Neeps and Tatties, Scotch Broth and scrumptious Cranachan, as well as advice on using Scottish seasonal fruit and vegetables to create healthy and delicious dishes such as Calcium Super Salad, Spring-In-Your-Step Veggie Burger and Very Berry and Beet Smoothie. Other recipes include Broad Bean Soup with Bannocks, Buckwheat, Carrot and Apple Salad, Braised Celeriac and Haricot Beans with Hazelnut Crust, and Sticky Toffee, Pear and Ginger Pudding.From easy brunch recipes through appetisers, hearty main courses and indulgent puddings, The Scottish Vegan Cookbook has them all many illustrated with beautiful photographs and accompanied by nutritional tips as well as information about Scotlan

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This is a beautifully conceived picture flat in which Debi Gliori describes and illustrates all kinds of things you might see over the course of a single day in the Hebrides.Inspired by the landscape, seascape, weather, animals and birds, this is not simply an exquisite alphabet book, but also a wonderful celebration of some of the most magnificent scenery in Britain.

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Acclaimed cookery writer Sue Lawrence celebrates the enormous range of Scottish soups in this imaginative and practical collection of recipes, ideal for cooks of all abilities.Some soups make ideal starters, others are a complete meal in themselves. Featuring the very best of local produce, the 40 recipes range from Cullen Skink, Winkle Soup and Cock-a-Leekie to Reestit Mutton Soup, Nettle and Potato Soup, and Dulse and Oatmeal Soup.

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Fully revised edition with updated information on the surviving members of the orca pod.In 2014, marine biologist Dr Natalie Sanders joined the crew of the research vessel Silurian to seek out Britain's West Coast Community of orca and study them before we lose them forever. Though this orca pod has delighted scientists and whale watchers for years, we still know relatively little about them, and what we do know comes mostly from citizen science and chance encounters. But what is abundantly clear is that pollution, entanglement, military sonar and climate change continue to have an enormous impact on whales and dolphins and other marine life throughout the world's oceans.This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the marine world in this age of climate change. A captivating yet poignant account, it takes the reader from the Western Isles of Scotland to Vancouver Island and elsewhere. It also delves deep into the history of our relations with these beautiful and sentient creature

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Meet Usha, a little girl off on a big adventure! She''s going on holiday to the Hebrides and is excited to show off her brand new, bright blue wellies. But who will she meet along the way, and will they have their own wellies to show her? What Colour Are Your Wellies? is a beautifully illustrated children''s book about the seabirds of the Hebrides and the colour of their feet. It visits iconic landmarks of the Hebrides and meets different seabirds that live there. Toddlers and younger children will enjoy having it read to them, whilst those who are a little bit older should be able to read it themselves.As the creators are wildlife guides who live and work in the Hebrides this book, whilst not only being beautifully illustrated, is also accurate to the species and areas being portrayed.

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Young children will love bringing to life these amazing images of Scotland by brushing with water to reveal colour. Very short captions (c. 10 words) describe the various scenes. Just dip the brush (included with the book) in water and apply directly to the page to bring the illustrations to vibrant life.Contents include:Loch Ness Monster * Rugby * Burns Night * Edinburgh Castle fireworks * Forth Rail Bridge * Highland Dancing RSS Discovery * Charles Rennie Mackintosh * Ancient Scottish symbols * Traditional houses * East Coast fishing village * Deer and eagles * Highland cows * Glenfinnan (Harry Potter) Viaduct * Kelpies * Greyfriars Bobby

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This 112pp week-to-view diary features 33 stunning illustrations from wildlife artist Jane Smith including, birds, animals and plants set against magnificent scenery.

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This 112-pp week-to-view diary features 33 stunning illustrations from wildlife artist Jane Smith including, birds, animals and plants set against magnificent scenery.

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Para Handy has been sailing his way into the affections of generations of Scots since he first weighed anchor in the pages of the Glasgow Evening News in 1905. The master mariner and his crew - Dougie the mate, Macphail the engineer, Sunny Jim and the Tar - all play their part in evoking the irresistible atmosphere of a bygone age when puffers sailed between West Highland ports and the great city of Glasgow. This definitive edition contains all three collections published in the author's lifetime, as well as those that were unpublished and a new story which was discovered in 2001. Extensive notes accompany each story, providing fascinating insights into colloquialisms, place-names and historical events. This volume also includes a wealth of contemporary photographs, depicting the harbours, steamers and puffers from the age of the Vital Spark.

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The ultimate guide to Scotch whisky. Why does Scotch whisky taste as it does? Where do the flavours come from? How might they have changed over the years? The flavour of Scotch whisky is as much influenced by history, craft and tradition as it is by science. Whiskypedia explores these influences. Introductory sections provide an historical overview, and an explanation of the contribution made by each stage of the production process. Each entry provides a brief account of the distillery's history and curiosities, lists the bottlings which are currently available, details how the whisky is made, and explores the flavour and character of each make. Fully revised and updated edition with new entries on the latest distilleries at Portintruan, Uile-beist, Port of Leith, Jackton, Cabrach, Dunphail and Kythe.

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The story of the Bamburgh Sword – one of the finest swords ever forged. In 2000, archaeologist Paul Gething rediscovered a sword. An unprepossessing length of rusty metal, it had been left in a suitcase for thirty years. But Paul had a suspicion that the sword had more to tell than appeared, so he sent it for specialist tests. When the results came back, he realised that what he had in his possession was possibly the finest, and certainly the most complex, sword ever made, which had been forged in seventh-century Northumberland by an anonymous swordsmith. This is the story of the Bamburgh Sword – of how and why it was made, who made it and what it meant to the warriors and kings who wielded it over three centuries. It is also the remarkable story of the archaeologists and swordsmiths who found, studied and attempted to recreate the weapon using only the materials and technologies available to the original smith.

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Surprisingly, the remarkable story of the Scottish role in the discovery of the Northwest Passage – a long desired trade route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific – has not received a great deal of attention. This book charts the extensive contribution to Arctic exploration made by the Scots, including significant names, such as John Ross from Stranraer, veteran of three Arctic expeditions; his nephew, James Clark Ross, the most experienced Arctic and Antarctic explorer of his generation and discoverer of the Magnetic North Pole; John Richardson of Dumfries, a medical doctor, seasoned explorer and engaging natural historian; and Orcadian John Rae, who discovered evidence of the grisly demise of John Franklin and his crew. The book also pays tribute to many others too: the Scotch Irish, the whalers and not least the Inuit, with whom the Scottish explorers cooperated and generally enjoyed good relations, relying on their knowledge of the environment in many crucial cases. The awakening of the Scots to the magnificence and dread of the hyperborean regions – as places of discovery, of inspiration and, regrettably, of exploitation – is traced, with particular emphasis on the first half of the nineteenth century until the search for the missing Franklin expedition mid-century.

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Shortlisted for the Scottish Nature Photography Book Awards Washed by the surging waves of the Atlantic Ocean, the island chain of Scotland's Outer Hebrides lies at the very edge of Europe. From white shell sands, peaty moors and gnarly mountains to heather hills, sea-green lochs and mysterious ancient monuments, these are places of unrivalled beauty. This book is a fabulous invitation to discover the unique magic of Lewis and Harris, Berneray, North Uist, Grimsay, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Bara and Vatersay, as well as the vibrant Gaelic culture of the islanders. Packed with fascinating insights, hidden gems and helpful information, it offers the uplifting opportunity for meaningful travels and life-affirming experiences in these extraordinary islands.

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Pressure for independence remains a major force in Scotland, but the case for it has changed substantially since the referendum of 2014. In the 2016 Brexit referendum, 60 per cent of the Scottish electorate voted to remain part of the European Union– the only part of the UK to reject Brexit so unequivocally. This new analysis takes into account a host of economic issues including deficit, debt, currency, energy (including North Sea oil and gas), pensions, mortgages and the financial sector. It weighs up the advantages of rejoining the EU single market, either as a full EU member or as a member of the EEA, with the disadvantages of a hard border with the rest of the UK. Independence would create opportunities, but it would also bring many thorny problems which the Scottish government, and the Scottish people, would have to face.

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