Search results for ""birlinn""

Mary Contini grew up in East Lothian above her family's Italian cafe. She is the bestselling author of numerous books about Italian life and cooking, including Dear Francesca, Dear Olivia, Valvona & Crolla: A Year at an Italian Table and The Italian Sausage Bible. She is a Director of Valvona & Crolla, the renowned Edinburgh delicatessen, restaurant and cookery school.Pru Irvine is a food writer, author and journalist with a passionate interest in children's welfare rights. She has lead numerous cookery courses for children and until recently ran her own award-winning confectionary business.

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Hadrian’s Wall is the largest, most spectacular and one of the most enigmatic historical monument in Britain. Nothing else approaches its vast scale: a land wall running 73 miles from east to west and a sea wall stretching at least 26 miles down the Cumbrian coast. Many of its forts are as large as Britain’s most formidable medieval castles, and the wide ditch dug to the south of the Wall, the vallum, is larger than any surviving prehistoric earthwork. Built in a ten-year period by more than 30,000 soldiers and labourers at the behest of an extraordinary emperor, the Wall consisted of more than 24 million stones, giving it a mass greater than all the Egyptian pyramids put together. At least a million people visit Hadrian’s Wall each year and it has been designated a World Heritage Site. In this book, based on literary and historical sources as well as the latest archaeological research, Alistair Moffat considers who built the Wall, how it was built, why it was built and how it affected the native peoples who lived in its mighty shadow. The result is a unique and fascinating insight into one of the Wonders of the Ancient World.

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A unique Scottish colouring book suitable for adults as well as children featuring 23 of the festival city's most iconic places, including: Edinburgh Castle * Victoria Street * Grassmarket * St Giles * National Museum of Scotland * The Mound and Ramsay Gardens * Calton Hill * Old Town * Usher Hall * Balmoral Hotel * Scott Monument and Princes Street Gardens * West Register House * Holyrood Palace * HMS Britannia * Ocean Terminal & Botanic Gardens * New Town * Dean Village * Arthur's Seat * Scottish Parliament * Zoo * Greyfriars Bobby * The Shore, Leith * The Meadows. Eilidh Muldoon's illustrations are ideal for all levels of colouring - plenty of intricate detail for those who like a colouring challenge, yet simple enough for those with less patience to create beautiful colour artwork in a short time.

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From the author of the bestselling D.C.I. Daley series comes a thrilling new tall tale from Kinloch. It’s December 1968. Having cheated Sandy Hoynes out of a rowing race and navigation certificate when they were young, Dreich MacCallum makes an unexpected return to Kinloch. With the Girl Maggie up on the slip awaiting urgent repairs, Hoynes takes to his bed, the memory of it all too much. When first mate Hamish persuades his skipper to get up and put the fishing boat back into the water, there are unexpected consequences that put Hoynes’ liberty and reputation at risk. Has Dreich won the day again? But the spirits of the past have yet to have their say. Upon whom will the winter sun set?

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Scottish baking is famous the world over. In this book, Liz Ashworth introduces a whole range of recipes arranged by theme – Bannocks, Breads and Scones; Biscuits; Tarts and Traybakes; and Cakes and Wee Fancies. From bannocks to butteries, seaweed nibbles to shortbread, from indulgent lemon Madeira cake and light-as-a-feather strawberry sandwich cake to wee fancies such as raspberry buns and ‘sair heideis’, the book features 40 recipes from all over the country. All are graded according to level of complexity (though none are difficult), making it ideal for bakers of all abilities to explore this glorious part of Scotland’s culinary heritage.

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Alexander McCall Smithis the author of the highly successfulNo. 1 Ladies' Detective Agencyseries, which has sold over twenty-five million copies. Since then he has devoted his time to the writing of fiction and has seen his various series of books translated into over forty-six languages and become bestsellers throughout the world. These include the44 Scotland Streetnovels, first published as a serial novel in theScotsman, theIsabel Dalhousienovels, theVon Igelfeldseries and theCorduroy Mansionsnovels.

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Alexander McCall Smithis the author of the highly successfulNo. 1 Ladies' Detective Agencyseries, which has sold over twenty-five million copies. Since then he has devoted his time to the writing of fiction and has seen his various series of books translated into over forty-six languages and become bestsellers throughout the world. These include the44 Scotland Streetnovels, first published as a serial novel in theScotsman, theIsabel Dalhousienovels, theVon Igelfeldseries and theCorduroy Mansionsnovels.

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An extraordinary true story of danger, innovation and deep sea discovery. In 1971 Alec Crawford is determined to make his fortune from ship salvage. Early attempts lead nowhere until he teams up with a new partner, Simon Martin. Diving in Hebridean waters, they explore remains of the Spanish Armada, and the wreck of the SS Politician, the vessel made famous in the Whisky Galore. But money is scarce and irregular, and the work is fraught with danger and disappointment. Until they hear of one of the most incredible wrecks of all time – the White Star Liner Oceanic, which, when built in 1899, was the biggest and most luxurious ship in the world. Widely regarded as an ‘undiveable’ wreck, lying somewhere off the remote island of Foula, they decide to take the challenge. They face unbelievably dangerous waters and appalling weather conditions, and when a large salvage company takes action against them, they also have a huge legal fight on their hands. But if they succeed, the rewards will be enormous…

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At Scapa Flow on 21 June 1919, there occurred an event unique in naval history. The German High Seas Fleet, one of the most formidable ever built was deliberately sent to the bottom of the sea at the British Grand Fleet's principal anchorage at Orkney by its own officers and men.The Grand Scuttle became a folk legend in both Germany and Britain. However, few people are aware that Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter became the only man in history to sink his own navy because of a misleading report in a British newspaper; that the Royal Navy guessed his intention but could do nothing to thwart it; that the sinking produced the last casualties and the last prisoners of the war; and that fragments of the Kaiser's fleet are probably on the moon.This is the remarkable story of the scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow. It contains previously unused German archive material, eye-witness accounts and the recollections of survivors, as well as many contemporary photos which capture the awesome spectacle of the finest ships of the time being deliberately sunk by their own crew.

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James Hunter is Emeritus Professor of History at the University of the Highlands and Islands and was its first Director of the Centre for History. The author of eleven books about the Highlands and Islands, he has also been active in the public life of the area for many years. He is the author of the award-winningSet Adrift Upon the World (Birlinn, 2016).

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Alastair McKay grew up in North Berwick, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. He has worked for The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Black Book, Out, Blah Blah Blah and The Independent. He lives in London.

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SHORTLISED FOR THE MCILVANNEY SCOTTISH CRIME DEBUT PRIZE 2019 All over Britain, POW camps are filling up with defeated German soldiers. Every day, thousands more pour in on ships from France. But only the most dangerous are sent to Camp 21 – ‘black’ prisoners – SS diehards who’ve sworn death before surrender. Nothing will stop their war, unless it’s a bullet. As one fanatic plots a mass breakout and glorious march on London, Max Hartmann dreams of the oath he pledged to the teenage bride he scarcely knows and the child he’s never met. Where do his loyalties really lie? To Hitler or to the life he left behind in the bombed ruins of his homeland? Beneath the wintry mountains, in the hell of Black Camp 21, suspicion and fear swirl around like the endless snow. And while the Reich crumbles – and his brutal companions plan their assault – Max’s toughest battle is only just beginning. Inspired by terrifying actual events, Black Camp 21 takes readers on a gut-wrenching journey from the battlefields of France to its shocking climax in a camp which still stands today.

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John MacLeodwas born in Lochaber in 1966. After his 1988 graduation from Edinburgh University, he began his career at BBC Highland in Inverness and quickly established himself as a freelance writer. He has won several awards, including Scottish Journalist of the Year in 1991, and has contributed to many publications including theScotsmanand theHerald. He currently writes a Thursday column for theScottish Daily Mailand is the author of a number of highly acclaimed books.

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This is the essential guide to the wonderful world of gin. Written by one of the country’s leading experts, it’s ideal for novice and connoisseur alike. As well as tasting notes and tips on the must-try latest brands and the eternal classics, it also includes details on distilleries and exciting new craft gins. There’s also information on many of the best and tastiest flavoured gins on the market, hints on choosing the perfect tonic and a selection of gin cocktails which showcase the remarkable versatility of our favourite spirit.

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Stuart McHardy is a writer, storyteller and lecturer. He was Director of the Scots Language Resource Centre from 1993 to 1998 and is a founder member and past president of the Pictish Arts Society. Also an experienced broadcaster and professional musician, he lives in Edinburgh.

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Scotland's history has been told many times, but never exclusively by its women. This book takes a unique perspective on dramatic national events as well as ordinary life, as experienced by women down the centuries. From the saintly but severe medieval Queen Margaret to today's first minister Nicola Sturgeon, it encompasses women from all stations of class and fame and notoriety, offering a tantalising view of what happened to them, and how they felt. Drawing on court and kirk records, exchequer rolls and treasurer's accounts, diaries and memoirs, chap books and newspapers, government reports and eye-witness statements, Scotland: Her Story brings to life the half of history that has for too long been hidden or ignored. Features material by from a hugely diverse range of authors, including:Princess Matilda * St Margaret * Margaret Tudor * Mary, Queen of Scots * Lady Grizel Baillie * Elsie Inglis * Mary Slessor * Jane Carlyle * Marie Stopes * Nan Shepherd * Leila Aboulela * Winnie Ewin

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Trevor Royle is a broadcaster and author specialising in the history of war and empire. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and is also a member of the Scottish Government's Advisory Panel for Commemorating the First World War.

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Many travellers have had their imaginations captured by the beautiful Hebridean island of Islay and have been moved to write about it, among them the renowned Thomas Pennant and Martin Martin. But Ileachs - the natives of Islay - have also been inspired to record their experience. These have included Gaelic bards, the folklorist John Francis Campbell and the crusader for crofters'' right, John Murdoch.Then, there were the business writers of Islay - the estate factors, distillery managers, and public servants with their revealing memos, legal documents and accounts of their endeavours. And there were the ''non-professional'' writers - the diary and letter writers whose intensely personal musings give us startling insights into the lives of the ordinary Ileachs that historians all too often ignore.The written records of Islay are varied, rich and rewarding. This anthology distils the essence of Islay through a very personal selection of writing. Some of the writing is profound, some of

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The initial chapters are an odyssey through the early town, from the Green to the Gallowgate, charting the disappearance of the irreplaceable medieval townscape. Moving on to more modern times she traces the evolution and gradual erosion of the Granite City, whose stylish yet restrained architecture once brought visitors from all over the world to see an Aberdeen which they recognised and valued as a unique city. She writes of George Street, originally planned as 'an elegant entrance to the city' and of Union Street, a marvel of early nineteenth century engineering with stunning symmetry, elegant terracing and memorable shops. There is also a requiem for Archibald Simpson's splendid New Market and the sadly missed Northern Co-operative Society Arcade. The final part of Lost Aberdeen recalls vanished mansions, and lost clachans, victims of the city's march westwards. Long gone industrial archaeology is also revisited, the railway stations, mills, shipyards, seafront, tollhouses and boathouse, which slipped away as if they never had existed. In Lost Aberdeen Diane Morgan writes with the same fresh approach to local history that blends careful scholarship with high readability, and authority with humour that has made her 'Villages of Aberdeen' so successful a series.

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"The place where the German U-boat sank the British battleship Royal Oak was none other than the middle of Scapa Flow, Britain's greatest naval base! It sounds incredible..." - William L Shirer, journalist, 18 October 1939 Sinking the battleship HMS Royal Oak in the Royal Navy’s home anchorage, with the loss of more than 800 of her crew, was Germany’s first shattering blow against Britain in the 1939-45 war. Within six weeks the long-standing German dream of breaching the defences of Scapa Flow had been achieved. After years of misinformation, propaganda and conspiracy theories, this meticulously researched book reveals what really happened.

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This book has been seminal in bringing to the fore the injustices that have been inflicted on the Highlands in the name of government and landlord – injustices often lost in the name of dry statistics and academic balance. Written by a man who has gone on to become both an award-winning historian of the Highlands and a leading figure in the public life of the region, The Making of the Crofting Community has attracted praise, inspired debate, and provoked outrage and controversy over the years. This book remains necessary to challenge standard academic interpretations of the Highland past. Having long been one of the classics of Birlinn’s John Donald list, this revised and updated new edition includes a substantial new preface and an extensive reworking of the existing text.

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A stranger, upon landing at Lochmaddy – the principal harbour of North Uist – is apt to receive an unfavourable impression from the vast expanse of bogs occupying its east side, which is also absolutely treeless and relieved only by a few hills of no great elevation and by the tortuous recesses of salt water lochs penetrating its seaboard. Thus Erskine Beveridge opens his classic account of the archaeology and topography of North Uist, the island where he spent much of his life. The range and quality of Beveridge’s work was not surpassed until the most recent series of Royal Commission inventories of the 1970s and 1980s and it is all the more extraordinary that this level of expertise and range of knowledge should be combined in one individual. Adding to the fascination of the book are more than 150 plates showing the island and its sites in a condition from which many have greatly changed. With sections from earliest times to the post Reformation times, sections on clan history, climate, topography, place names and much else besides, this is not simply the most important book ever written on North Uist but one of the finest works of scholarship ever produced on a Hebridean island.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger – a bodybuilder-turned-real-estate mogul who turned an undefeated streak at the Mr Olympia contest into an astonishing film career and eight years as the governor of California – is, for many people, the embodiment of the American Dream. From humble beginnings in a small village in Austria, Schwarzenegger has come to symbolise the opportunities that exist for anyone willing to work hard – parlaying success and self-confidence into the influence to shape hearts and minds across the globe. Even today, whether he’s campaigning against climate change or fist-bumping fellow strongmen at his self-titled athletic event, he’s one of the few men on the planet who’s recognisable from his first name alone. Arnold. Fiaz Rafiq uses in-depth interviews with Schwarzenegger’s peers to tell the life story of the one-time Governator, featuring exclusive interviews with his personal and close friends, fellow bodybuilders and training partners, Hollywood co-stars, directors, executive producers, political personalities and journalists – all offering first-hand accounts of the man they know. Together, these voices show new dimensions to the Arnold we all think we know – from the driven young man who brought building into the mainstream to the passionate advocate for political change.

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Muhammad Ali is one of the most remarkable sports personalities and celebrities of our time. He is a legend who transcended boxing and rose above all sport. A man of mythic proportions, Ali rose to become a prominent feature of our cultural landscape. Through exclusive accounts from family members, close friends, associates and adversaries, Fiaz Rafiq has compiled a compelling and intriguing insight into a sporting legend. Muhammad Ali's story is an epic one, one of bravery, courage, hope, skill and indomitable will. Muhammad Ali: The Life of a Legend is an oral biography of the greatest icon of world sport who continues to influence millions. Among those interviewed include, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Chuck Wepner, Joe Bugner, Angelo Dundee, Don King, Jim Brown, Lou Gossett Jr., Dr. Harry Edwards, Butch Lewis, Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, some close family members and some of the top sports journalists who worked with Ali, and many more.

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No bicycle repair was ever made easier by turning your bike upside down. White shorts are for other people. A helmet perched on the back of your head is perfect if you ride your bike backwards - These and a host of other handy pointers jostle for attention within this A - Z guide to being a cyclist. It's an essential manual and source of wisdom for those who would be kings of the road. Many pitfalls await the unwary middle-aged-man-in-Lycra, but fear not, for the Guide is here to steer you through choppy waters. No more passing out halfway up a hill. No more ridicule in the work place. No more hurty knee. And no more sock crimes. Pearls of wisdom are scattered throughout this book like rose petals before a princess on her wedding day. For instance, who could deny that life is too short to drink bad coffee? That a noisy bike is marginally more annoying than a whiney toddler? Or that style should ever be sacrificed for speed? Written by experts who know everything there is to know about cycling, yet never forget that there is nothing funnier than a rabbit playing a trumpet, How to be a Cyclist is mandatory reading for all bike riders.

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Faced with the choice between her harsh farming life and the seductive but distant world of books and learning, the spirited Chris Guthrie decides to remain in her rural community. But as the devastation of the First World War leaves her life-and community-in tatters, she must draw strength from what she loves and endure, like the land she loves so intensely. Brutal and beautiful, passionate and powerful, Sunset Song is a moving portrait of a declining way of life and an inspirational celebration of the human spirit. And in Chris Guthrie, Grassic Gibbon has given us one of literature's most unforgettable heroines.

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Tommo has just moved to a prestigious boarding school. A product of the middle class, and with new-found independence thrust upon him, he finds himself invited into fading crumbling country houses.It's the early nineties and the elite he is now surrounded by is struggling for relevance. Alienated from the mainstream, and running low on inherited wealth, his peers have retreated into snobbery and fatalism. Initially awed by their poise and seduced by their hedonism, Tommo gradually becomes aware of sinister undercurrents and a suppressed rage that threatens to explode into violence.In this world, half-remembered traditions mix with decadence and an awful lot of small dead animals. And sometimes, not just animals. When Tommo's friend Johnnie's brother is found dead, a shotgun at his feet, he realises there are secrets that everyone knows, but no one speaks about, or even acknowledges. And those secrets can no longer be hidden.''Keeps the outrageous laughs and twists comingin equal measur

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From the world''s favourite author of The No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency, this novel is about chance encounters; it is richly atmospheric and packed with compassion and humour.Often a small and seemingly insignificant event can change the course of our lives.Not long after starting a new job, Neil meets Chrissie. Romance soon blossoms and together they move to a lavish flat in Edinburgh. Everything seems to be falling into place perfectly.But an innocuous, throw-away comment unintentionally causes Neil's career to collapse, and, at the same time, a cruel betrayal shatters the life he thought he knew.His only option is to escape to the secluded, remote beauty of a breathtaking Hebridean island. Here, he finds a different way of life, and new friendships develop. But he can't escape the past forever, and soon he must confront a life-changing decision once more.Praise for Alexander McCall Smith''s writing: ''The author''s prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision. This is

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In Three Fires,award-winning author Denise Mina re-imagines the ''Bonfire of the Vanities'', a series of fires lit throughout Florence at the end of the fifteenth century - inspired by the fanatical Girolamo Savonarola.Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar living in Florence at the tail end of the fifteenth century. An anti-corruption campaigner his hellfire preaching increasingly spilled over into tirades against all luxuries that tempted people towards sin. These sermons led to the infamous Bonfire of the Vanities' - a series of fires lit throughout Florence for the incineration of everything from books, extravagant clothing, playing cards, musical instruments, make-up and mirrors, to paintings, tapestries and sculptures.Railing against the vice and avarice of the ruling Medici family, he was instrumental in their removal from power, and for a time became the puritanical leader of the city. After turning his attention to corruption in the entire Catholic Church, he was first exco

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''[A] warm and witty exploration of our hidden vulnerabilities'' - Catherine SimpsonEllis's life has crumbled without warning. Her boyfriend has fallen in love with someone else, her job's insecure, her bank account's empty and she has a mouthful of unreliable teeth. Forced back to her childhood home, there is little in the way of comfort. Her mum is dating a younger man (a dentist, no less) and is talking of selling the house, her sister, Lana, is furious all the time, and a distant cousin has now arrived from the States to stay with them.During a long, hot Edinburgh summer, Ellis's world spins out of control. She's dogged by toothache, her ex won't compensate her for the flat and somehow she's found herself stalking his new lover on Facebook.Will Ellis realise before it's too late that the bite she was born with is worth preserving?''There''s a huge emotional punch packed into this deceptively light novel'' - Sally Morris, Daily MailFor fans ofSally Rooney, Meg Mason and Marian Keyes

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Russell Jones is an Edinburgh-based writer and editor. He was the UK's first Pet Poet Laureate, has published six poetry collections, three fantasy novels, one graphic novel and has edited three writing anthologies. Russell is the deputy editor of Scotland's only sci-fi magazine, organises sci-fi cabaret nights in Edinburgh and has a PhD in Creative Writing.

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Martin Stewart's Young Adult work was published in the UK and US by Penguin Random House and nominated for several national awards. His Middle Grade series, Bridget Vanderpuff, launched in 2023 with Zephyr. Martin's work has been published all over the world and translated into multiple languages. A native of Glasgow, he now lives in Troon with his wife, two children and a very big dog. Double Proof is his adult fiction debut.

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We come from the mist, and to the mist we will return . . . Fergus MacGregor told people he was going to Pitlochry for the day but was never seen again. Years later, Rebecca witnesses his deeply religious mother holding an annual ritual in the ancient Black Wood of Rannoch, a place Fergus loved because of its connections to the outlawed MacGregor clan, the Children of the Mist. What happened that day in this last vestige of the great Caledonian Forest? Does a family feud hold the key? Does an old recluse have the answers? Or is there something malevolent hiding among the ancient trees? 'Drenched in mystery, Highland history and dark humour' – Press and Journal

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The characters in this delicious book are pushed to the point of no return and seek retribution. But how we get even is not always the best road to redemption. On the island of Mull, it takes an incomer to make the locals realise that they need to take matters into their own hands to maintain the community’s reputation. In ‘The Principles of Soap’ the value of friendship overcomes adversity and opportunistic nepotism. In suburban Edinburgh opposing neighbours find out the hard way that the best method of dealing with a canine disturbance is not to bury one’s head in the sand. And in the final tale we meet an author on the brink of public ruin who sees the error of his ways after an act of kindness saves the day. These four tales show that the exquisite art of getting even is a skill that sees kindness win over malice. Tantalising and amusing, these stories show off a darker side but carry with them the author’s trademark warmth and humour.

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'Plakos is a strange place, for the tides of civilisation and progress seem to have left it high and dry. It is a relic of old days, full of wild beliefs and pagan habits.' Young Englishwoman Kore Arabin has inherited a remote Greek island, Plakos, from her unscrupulous father, who was reviled by the locals. The superstitious islanders blame Kore for every minor mishap and natural disaster, and they are about to sacrifice her as a witch in the sacred ground called 'The Dancing Floor'. Sir Edward Leithen and his acquaintance Vernon Milburne must save her. The Dancing Floor is one of Buchan's most intriguing novels – a love story, a dramatic thriller and a tale of the clash between paganism and Christianity. With an introduction by Robert Hardy. This edition is authorised by the John Buchan Society.

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'An immersive and entertaining read' – Alistair Mabbot, The Herald The year is 1317, and young squire Benedict Russell has joined the English-held garrison of Berwick-upon-Tweed after the spectacular Scottish victory at Bannockburn three years earlier. Serious and self-doubting, he can’t wait for his time there to come to an end. Living on the disputed territory between Scotland and England is a precarious existence, and as the Scots draw ever closer and the English king does nothing to stop them, Benedict finds himself in a race against time to solve the brutal murder of a young girl and find the traitor who lurks within Berwick’s walls.

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'An enthralling mystery, family saga and Sunset Song-esque ode to the land' - The Herald, 25 Summer Reads Winner of the Bookmark Book Festival Book of the Year Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize After Highland shepherd Colvin Munro disappears, a mysterious trail of his possessions is found in the Cairngorm mountains. Writing the eulogy for his memorial years later, his foundling-sister Mo seeks to discover why he vanished. Younger brother Sorley is also haunted by his absence and driven to reveal the forces that led to Colvin’s disappearance. Is their brother alive or dead? Set on a farming estate in the upper reaches of the River Spey, Of Stone and Sky follows several generations of a shepherding family in a paean to the bonds between people, their land and way of life. It is a profound mystery, a passionate poem, a political manifesto, shot through with wisdom and humour.

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'Five engrossing, resonant stories here, with no weak links' ― The Herald The world’s first UNESCO city of literature, Edinburgh is steeped in literary history. It is the birthplace of a beloved cast of fictional characters from Sherlock Holmes to Harry Potter. It is the home of the Writer’s Museum, where quotes from writers of the past pave the steps leading up to it. A city whose beauty is matched only by the intrigue of its past, and where Robert Louis Stevenson said, ‘there are no stars so lovely as Edinburgh’s street-lamps’. And to celebrate the city, its literature, and more importantly, its people, Polygon and the One City Trust have brought together writers – established and emerging – to write about the place they call home. Based around landmarks or significant links to Edinburgh each story transports the reader to a different decade in the city’s recent past. Through these stories each author reflects on the changes, both generational and physical, in the city in which we live.

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'a wonderfully atmospheric tale ... offers a brief, magical escape to a kinder, simpler time' – Roger Cox, The Scotsman It's 1968, and the fishermen of Kinloch are preparing to celebrate the old New Year on the twelfth of January. The annual pilgrimage to the Auld Stones is a tradition that goes back beyond memory, and young Hamish, first mate on the Girl Maggie, is chuffed that he’s been invited to this exclusive gathering – usually reserved for the most senior members of Kinloch's fishing community. Meanwhile, it appears that the new owners of the Firdale Hotel are intent upon turning their customers teetotal, such is the exorbitant price they are charging for whisky. Wily skipper Sandy Hoynes comes up with a plan to deliver the spirit to the thirsty villagers at a price they can afford through his connections with a local still-man. But when the Revenue are tipped off, it looks as though Hoynes and Hamish’s mercy mission might run aground. Can the power of the Auld Stones come to their rescue, and is the reappearance of a face from Hoynes' past a sign for good or ill?

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Nursing staff throughout the world have endured an unprecedented increase in distress, anxiety and depression. Physical and mental health have come under attack from anxiety, depression, elevated blood pressure and increased stress hormone production. More than ever, the importance and urgency of initiatives which promote nurses' and midwives' wellbeing should be emphasised. Pocket Poetry: Poems for Nurses and Midwives is a companion of poems intended to provide encouragement and consolation to those on the frontline of our care sector. The poems themselves explore the meaning of nursing, midwifery and compassion in order to promote new nurses' and midwives' self-care and wellbeing. The poems in this selection demonstrate the empathy and benevolence crucial to the profession, and include works on the relationship between nurse and patient, as well as the meaning and fulfilment of nursing for those who have chosen that career.

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It is 1938 and the final days of the British Empire. In a bungalow high up in the green hills above the plains of Ceylon, under a vast blue sky, live the Ferguson family: Bella, a precocious eight-year-old; her father Henry – owner of Pitlochry, a tea plantation – and her mother Virginia. The story centres around the Pavilion in the Clouds, set in the idyllic grounds carved out of the wilderness. But all is not as serene as it seems. Bella is suspicious of her governess, Miss White’s intentions. Her suspicion sparks off her mother’s imagination and after an unfortunate series of events, a confrontation is had with Miss White and a gunshot rings off around the hills. Years later, Bella, now living back in Scotland at university in St Andrews, is faced, once again with her past. Will she at last find out what happened between her Father and Miss White? And will the guilt she has lived with all these years be reconciled by a long over-due apology?

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This is the untold story of black music – its triumph over racism, segregation, undercapitalised record labels, media discrimination and political anxiety – told through the perspective of the most powerful office in the world: from Louis Armstrong's spat with President Eisenhower and Eartha Kitt's stormy encounter with Lady Bird Johnson to James Brown's flirtation with Nixon, Reaganomics and the 'Cop Killer' scandal. Moving, insightful and wide-ranging, Hey America! charts the evolution of sixties soul from the margins of American society to the mainstream, culminating in the rise of urban hip-hop and the dramatic stand-off between Donald Trump and the Black Lives Matter movement.

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A SUNDAY POST TOP PICK FOR SUMMER READING 'This latest DCI Daley thriller is deftly plotted and peopled with sympathetically drawn local characters and satisfyingly nuanced local wrongdoers' – Irish Independent When a light aircraft crash-lands at Machrie airport, DCI Jim Daley and his colleague Brian Scott rush to the scene. But it soon becomes clear that both occupants of the plane were dead before take-off ... Meanwhile in Kinloch, local fisherman Hamish is unwittingly dragged into danger when he witnesses something he shouldn’t, and hotel manager Annie is beginning to suspect her new boss may not be as he first appeared. And just as Chief Superintendent Carrie Symington thinks she has finally escaped the sins of her past, she finds herself caught in an even deadlier trap. As the action spills across the sea to County Antrim – all under the scrutiny of the Security Service – the search is on for any other truth.

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Shortlisted for The Winston Graham Historical Prize A battle lost. A daring escape. A long walk into obscurity. The ultimate failure… In the aftermath of the disastrous Battle of Culloden, a lonely figure takes flight with a small band of companions through the islands and mountains of the Hebrides. His name is Charles Edward Stuart: better known today as Bonnie Prince Charlie. He had come to the country to take the throne. Now he is leaving in exile and abject defeat. In prose that is by turns poetic, comic, macabre, haunting and humane, multi- award-winning author Alan Warner traces the frantic last journey through Scotland of a man who history will come to define for his failure. 'Written in carefully crafted prose . . . this reimagining of Charles Edward Stuart’s escape from Culloden is a triumph' – Stuart Kelly, The Scotsman

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Longlisted for McIlvanney Scottish Crime Book of the Year In 1752, Seamus a’Ghlynne, James of the Glen, was executed for the murder of government man Colin Campbell. He was almost certainly innocent. When banners are placed at his gravesite claiming that his namesake, James Stewart, is innocent of murder, reporter Rebecca Connolly smells a story. The young Stewart has been in prison for ten years for the brutal murder of his lover, lawyer and politician Murdo Maxwell, in his Appin home. Rebecca soon discovers that Maxwell believed he was being followed prior to his murder and his phones were tapped. Why is a Glasgow crime boss so interested in the case? As Rebecca keeps digging, she finds herself in the sights of Inverness crime matriarch Mo Burke, who wants payback for the damage caused to her family in a previous case. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, A Rattle of Bones is a tale of injustice and mystery, and the echo of the past in the present. 'An intriguing Highland mystery peopled with quirky characters and peppered with wit' - Times Crime Club, Pick of the Week '[a] compelling thriller, laced with dark humour' - Sunday Post

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In this volume Michael Rosen introduces Edwin Morgan’s animal poems. Morgan’s empathy with animals is well represented, from the still very topical ‘The White Rhinoceros’ to the prehistoric ‘The Bearsden Shark’ and the famous ‘The Loch Ness Monster’s Song’. Birds, beasts and fish, real and imaginary, are all here in this selection.

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A follow up to the immensely popular #UntitledOne and #UntitledTwo. This year’s anthology gives us more of the promising 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.

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Introduced by Ali Smith, the title of this group of poems about people is taken from Morgan’s poem ‘Pelagius’, the theologian who is a kind of alter ego. Morgan has the ability to enter into so many lives: the blind hunchback of ‘In the Snack-bar’, Jesus’s judge in ‘Pilate at Fortingall’, the Polish juggler and acrobat ‘Cinquevalli’ (another alter ego), even Rameses II in ‘The Mummy’. ‘Morgan, I said to myself, take note, / Take heart. In a time of confusion / You must make a stand.’

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