Search results for ""birlinn general""
Birlinn General The Caledonian Canal
The Caledonian Canal records the history of one of Scotland's most massive engineering projects, from Thomas Telford's first survey in 1801 into the twenty-first century. Telford's plan, to connect Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy with each other and the sea, was a huge undertaking which brought civil engineering to the Highlands on a heroic scale. Deep in the Highlands, far from the canal network of England, engineers forged their way through the Great Glen to construct the biggest canal of its day: twenty-two miles of artificial cutting and no fewer than twenty-eight locks.A.D. (Sandy) Cameron's book has long been recognised as the authoritative work on the canal as well as a reliable and useful guide to the surrounding area. There are intriguing old plans, not discovered until 1992, and a survey of the dramatic rise in pleasure-craft traffic during the last two decades. But the highlight of the recent past was undoubtedly the Tall Ships passing through the canal in stately proces
£17.55
Birlinn General The Horizontal Oak: A Life in Nature
'Peppered with humour, empathy and kindness' - Sunday Post Ever since her pet sheep Lulu accompanied her to school at the age of seven, animals and nature have been at the heart of Polly Pullar’s world. Growing up in a remote corner of the Scottish West Highlands, she roamed freely through the spectacular countryside and met her first otters, seals, eagles and wildcats. But an otherwise idyllic childhood was marred by family secrets which ultimately turned to tragedy. Following the suicide of her alcoholic father and the deterioration of her relationship with her mother, as well as the break-up of her own marriage, Polly rebuilt her life, earning a reputation as a wildlife expert and rehabilitator, journalist and photographer. This is her extraordinary, inspirational story. Written with compassion, humour and optimism, Polly reflects on how her love of the natural world has helped her find the strength to forgive and understand her parents, and to find an equilibrium.
£16.99
Birlinn General Wild History: Journeys into Lost Scotland
From the presenter of BBC One's Scotland from the Sky You scramble up over the dunes of an isolated beach. You climb to the summit of a lonely hill. You pick your way through the eerie hush of a forest. And then you find them. The traces of the past. Perhaps they are marked by a tiny symbol on your map, perhaps not. There are no plaques to explain their fading presence before you, nothing to account for what they once were – who made them, lived in them or abandoned them. Now they are merged with the landscape. They are being reclaimed by nature. They are wild history. In this book acclaimed author and presenter James Crawford introduces many such places all over the country, from the ruins of prehistoric forts and ancient, arcane burial sites, to abandoned bothies and boathouses, and the derelict traces of old, faded industry. Shortlisted for The Great Outdoors Reader Awards 2024 PRAISE FOR JAMES CRAWFORD The Edge of the Plain: How Borders Make and Break Our World 'Crawford travels widely to make his points in a text reminiscent of those of Barry Lopez or Robert Macfarlane . . . A thoughtful consideration of the imaginary lines that hold meaning for so many' - Kirkus Reviews 'Crawford's essays, through vivid accounts of historical episodes and contemporary problems, illuminate how the world acquired its current shape . . . Eye-opening' - Literary Review Fallen Glory: The Lives and Deaths of History’s Greatest Buildings 'Conveys superbly these absorbing tales of hubris, power, violence and decay' - Sunday Times 'Witty and memorable . . . moving as well as myth-busting' - Mary Beard, Times Literary Supplement Scotland from the Sky 'A stunning combination of aviation adventure and historical detective work' - Press and Journal 'Crawford is a genuine, risk-taking adventurer' - Daily Express
£22.00
Birlinn General The Ninth Wave: Love and Food on the Isle of Mull
From Masterchef: The Professionals quarter-finalist Carla Lamont. This book shares the sensual beauty and bounty of the Isle of Mull through the eyes of restauranteur and MasterChef: The Professionals 2020 quarter-finalist Carla Lamont and photographer Dr Sam Jones. At Ninth Wave Restaurant, an enterprising couple have created one of Scotland’s hidden culinary gems. Multiple winner of Best Restaurant Award – VisitScotland, and two-time Winner of Restaurant of the Year – Highlands & Islands, Carla and her rugged fisherman husband Jonny have put Mull firmly on the food map. After lovingly renovating a granite bothy on their windswept croft, they opened Ninth Wave as the first high-end restaurant on the Ross of Mull. The food is an exhilarating blend of the traditional and modern, using the wonderful natural larder of Mull and influences from exotic cuisines from all over the world. Carla has gathered her experiences in this book full of magical imagery, tantalising recipes and quirky anecdotes about cooking, love, life and the challenges of running a restaurant at the edge of the Hebrides. Gloriously illustrated with atmospheric food and landscape pictures of an award-winning photographer, this memoir and cookbook captures the hedonistic joy of all that is the Ninth Wave experience.
£17.99
Birlinn General Fringed With Mud Pearls
One of the Daily Telegraph''s 20 Books Perfect for TravelScotland has its rugged Hebrides; Ireland its cliff-girt Arans; Wales its Island of Twenty Thousand Saints. And what has England got? The isles of Canvey, Sheppey, Wight and Dogs, Mersea, Brownsea, Foulness and Rat. But there are also wilder, rockier places Lundy, the Scillies, the Farnes.These islands and their inhabitants not only cast varied lights on the mainland, they also possess their own peculiar stories, from the Barbary slavers who once occupied Lundy, to the ex-major who seized a wartime fort in the North Sea and declared himself Prince of Sealand.Ian Crofton embarks on a personal odyssey to a number of the islands encircling England, exploring how some were places of refuge or holiness, while others have been turned into personal fiefdoms by their owners, or become locations for prisons, rubbish dumps and military installations. He also describes the varied ways in which England''s islands have been formed, and how t
£18.00
Birlinn General The Colouring Book of Glasgow
Iconic views of Glasgow in the latest of Birlinn's series of colouring books, all featuring Eilidh Muldoon's inimitable artwork. Includes: Glasgow Cathedral • Kelvingrove Museum • Riverside Museum • Gallery of Modern Art • Pollok House • People’s Palace • CCA• Tramway • The Lighthouse • Museum of Transport • Glasgow Science Centre • Glasgow Film Theatre • Theatre Royal • SEC Hydro and Finnieston Crane • Oran Mor • Barrowland Ballroom • Ashton Lane • Merchant City • George Square and City Chambers • Buchanan Street • Botanic Gardens • Holmwood House • Templeton on the Green • Tenement House • Kelvingrove Park • Central Station • Glasgow University • The Squinty Bridge Eilidh Muldoon’s 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.
£10.45
Birlinn General Ardnish Was Home: A Novel
Young Donald Peter Gillies, a Lovat scout soldier lies in hospital in Gallipoli in 1916, blinded by the Turks. There he falls in love with his Queen Alexandra Corps nurse, Louise, and she with him. The story moves back and forth from their time at the field hospital to the west highlands of Scotland where Donald grew up. As they talk in the quiet hours he tells her the stories of the coast and glens, how his family lived and the fascinating life of a century ago: bagpiping, sheep shearing, celidhs, illegal distilling, his mother saving the life of the people of St Kilda, the navvies building the west highland railway and the relationship between the lairds and the people. Louise in turn tells her own story of growing up in the Welsh valley: coal mining, a harsh and unforgiving upbringing. They get cut off from the allied troops and with another nurse are forced to make their escape through Turkey to Greece, getting rescued by a Coptic priest and ending up in Malta. By this time their love is out in the open, but there is still another tragic twist to their story waiting on the way back to Donald’s beloved highland home . . .
£10.45
Birlinn General The Vikings and All That
The Vikings and All That is a skull-splitting saga about the wild, seafaring warriors who burst into history in the 8th century and looted, plundered, pillaged and burned their way from their native Scandinavia to the British Isles and much of Europe. Packed with fantastic, fun illustrations of everything from the Vikings' warships to their favourite board games, this is the book that answers all the key questions you might have. If you want sensible answers, packed with historical facts and thoughtful revelations about the Vikings' civilised side then this is the book for you. But if you want boatloads of bearded, shield-biting maniacs bearing down on defenceless, sandal-wearing villagers, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!
£9.94
Birlinn General School Ship Tobermory: A School Ship Tobermory Adventure (Book 1)
Follow the exploits of the children who go to a most unusual school - the sail-powered training ship Tobermory. When a film crew arrives in Tobermory Bay, Ben and Fee are invited to be extras. But their suspicions are soon aroused - is the film crew genuine, or are they up to something sinister? Ben and Fee soon discover the truth when they uncover a dastardly plan masterminded by a South American businessman...
£9.67
Birlinn General William McGonagall: Collected Poems
William McGonagall was born in Edinburgh in 1830. His father was a poor hand-loom weaver, and his work took his family to Glasgow, then to Dundee. William attended school for eighteen months before the age of seven, and received no further formal education. Later, as a mill worker, he used to read books in the evening, taking great interest in Shakespeare’s plays. In 1877, McGonagall suddenly discovered himself ‘to be a poet’. Since then, thousands of people the world over have enjoyed the verse of Scotland’s alternative national poet. This volume brings together the three famous collections – Poetic Gems, More Poetic Gems and Last Poetic Gems, and also includes an introduction by Chris Hunt, the webmaster of the McGonagall website www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk, indexes of poem titles and first lines, and features the first publication of McGonagall’s only play, Jack o’ the Cudgel, written in 1886 but not performed publicly until 2002.
£13.60
Birlinn General The Claire MacDonald Game Cookbook
Once the prerogative of country dwellers, game is now found in butchers' shops and supermarkets all over the country. Yet despite this, many people are still apprehensive about cooking this extraordinary versatile, varied and protein-packed meat. In this book Claire Macdonald de-mystifies game cooking, with a wide and varied selection of recipes for pheasant, wild duck, partridge and snipe, woodcock, venison, hare, wild boar and wild salmon. In addition to tips on roasting, she also includes useful information on what combines well with different types of game - lentils, beans, root vegetables, dark green vegetables and mushrooms - and sauces and jellies that make excellent accompaniments. She also shows how game can be combined - game pie, for example, can be composed of pheasant, grouse, a leg of hare or a partridge. Similar recipes include, game pudding with a lemon and thyme suet crust, game stock, game soup, salami of game, game terrine, game with an oatmeal crumble, potted game with walnuts, and game shepherd's pie.
£13.60
Birlinn General The Only Gaijin in the Village: A Year Living in Rural Japan
In 2016 Scottish writer Iain Maloney and his Japanese wife Minori moved to a village in rural Japan. This is the story of his attempt to fit in, be accepted and fulfil his duties as a member of the community, despite being the only foreigner in the village. Even after more than a decade living in Japan and learning the language, life in the countryside was a culture shock. Due to increasing numbers of young people moving to the cities in search of work, there are fewer rural residents under the retirement age – and they have two things in abundance: time and curiosity. Iain’s attempts at amateur farming, basic gardening and DIY are conducted under the watchful eye of his neighbours and wife. But curtain twitching is the least of his problems. The threat of potential missile strikes and earthquakes is nothing compared to the venomous snakes, terrifying centipedes and bees the size of small birds that stalk Iain’s garden. Told with self-deprecating humour, this memoir gives a fascinating insight into a side of Japan rarely seen and affirms the positive benefits of immigration for the individual and the community. It’s not always easy being the only gaijin in the village.
£12.02
Birlinn General Arrivals And Sailings: The Making of George Wyllie
The Making of George Wyllie has been co-written by his elder daughter, Louise Wyllie, and arts journalist Jan Patience. Containing never-beforeseen images and fresh insight into his influences and early life, this book seeks to answer questions about the forces which shaped Wyllie's unique worldview.The voyage begins with Wyllie's Glasgow childhood - a period 'disadvantaged by happiness' - and moves on to time spent serving in the Pacific with the Royal Navy during WWII, where he witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by the world's first atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. After the war, like Robert Burns and Adam Smith before him, Wyllie became an Excisemen. He made 'time for art' in his forties, going on to create memorable public art works such as the life-sized Straw Locomotive, which hung from the Finnieston Crane in Glasgow, and the giant seaworthy Paper Boat, with the letters QM (Question Mark) on her side.By the time of his death at the age of ninety in 2012, this idiosyncratic self-taught artist had laid out his vision of himself as the artist-shaman, arrow in hand, making a last Cosmic Voyage.
£22.50
Birlinn General The Edwin Morgan Twenties: Scotland
Introduced by Liz Lochhead, in this selection we journey round Scotland in ‘Canedolia’, study its history in ‘Picts’, home in on Morgan’s own city of Glasgow in ‘Glasgow Sonnet v’, imagine the country’s future in ‘The Coin’.
£7.33
Birlinn General Rugby World Cup 101
Rugby World Cup 101 is a compendium of fascinating facts, stats, stories, personalities and trivia - perfect for all fans of rugby from around the world. From the genesis of the tournament in 1987 all the way through to the present day, the Rugby World Cup's rich history is distilled into 101 facts, stats and stories. This entertaining volume is an instructive, if sometimes irreverent - but always affectionate - guide to some of the groundbreaking firsts, controversies, innovations, characters, achievements and disasters that have taken place in rugby's marquee event. Whether an expert or a novice, this is the perfect companion for rugby lovers around the world.
£11.24
Birlinn General Moder Dy: Polygon New Poets
Winner of an Eric Gregory Award, 2020 Winner of a Somerset Maugham Award, 2020 ‘The old Shetland fishermen still speak with something like reverence of the forgotten art of steering by the moder dy (mother wave), the name given to an underswell which it is said always travels in the direction of home’ Written in English, interspersed with Shetlandic dialect throughout, this eagerly awaited debut collection from Shetland poet Roseanne Watt contains profound, assured and wilfully spare poems that are built from the sight, sound and heartbeat of the land as much as from the sea. In rigorously controlled, concise, and vivid language Watt offers glimpses of the landscape alongside which we find the most complex and mysterious of human experiences.
£12.02
Birlinn General Pep Guardiola: The Evolution
For three extraordinary seasons at Bayern Munich, Martin Perarnau was given total access around the German super club – to its players, its backroom staff, its board members and, above all, to its manager, Pep Guardiola. In the follow-up to his critically acclaimed account of Guardiola’s first full season at Bayern, Pep Confidential, Perarnau now lifts the lid on the Catalan’s whole tenure in Bavaria. Pep Guardiola: The Evolution takes the reader on a journey through three action packed seasons as Bayern smashed domestic records yet struggled to emulate that dominance in Europe, analysing Guardiola’s management style through key moments on and off the field. Perarnau reveals how Guardiola improved as a manager at Bayern despite failing to land the ultimate prize in European football, examines his decision to leave Germany to take up the challenge at Manchester City and how his managerial style will continue to evolve in the Premier League. This is more than the story of three seasons with one of the biggest clubs in the game. It is a portrait and analysis of a manager and the footballing philosophies that have beguiled the world.
£13.60
Birlinn General Pep Confidential: The Inside Story of Pep Guardiola's First Season at Bayern Munich
'Access inside the changing room and behind the scenes that any journalist or writer would kill for - Perarnau's insights are astonishing' - Graham Hunter 'Write about everything you see. Be as critical as you like' - Pep Guardiola to Marti Perarnau, summer 2013 Marti Perarnau was given total access to Bayern Munich during season 2013-14. This book represents the first time in the modern era that a writer has got this close to one of the elite teams of world football. At the invitation of Pep Guardiola, he shadowed the Catalan, his staff and his superstar players during training and on matchdays. Bayern smashed domestic records on their way to the double, but were humiliated by Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final. Perarnau was with them every step of the way. Perarnau is with Guardiola as he is courted by the world's greatest clubs during his sabbatical in New York. We hear Guardiola explain in detail the radical tactical moves which transform Bayern's season and reprogramme the players who will win the World Cup with Germany.Perarnau talks exclusively and in fascinating detail with players such as Arjen Robben, Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Thiago Alcantara and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Pep Confidential is much more than the story of a season - it is also a lasting portrait of one of the greatest coaches in sport.
£13.60
Birlinn General The Long Golden Afternoon
Shortlisted for the2023SportsBookAwardsfor Best Sports Writing of the YearShortlisted for theUSGA Herbert Warren Wind Book AwardThe Long Golden Afternoontells the story of the transformative generation of golf that followed the rise of Young Tom Morris - an era of sweeping change that saw Scotland''s national pastime become one of the rare games played around the world.It begins with the first epochal performance after Tommy - John Ball''s victory at Prestwick in 1890 as the first Englishman and the first amateur to win the Open Championship - and continues through the outbreak of the Great War. If Tommy ignited the flame of golf in England, Ball''s breakthrough turned that smoldering fire into a conflagration.The generation that followed would witness the game''s coming of age. It would see an explosion in golf''s popularity, the invention of revolutionary new balls and clubs, the emergence of professional tours, the organization of the game and its rules, a renaissance in writing and
£16.99
Birlinn General Warriors of the Word: The World of the Scottish Highlanders
Words have always held great power in the Gaelic traditions of the Scottish Highlands: bardic poems bought immortality for their subjects; satires threatened to ruin reputations and cause physical injury; clan sagas recounted family origins and struggles for power; incantations invoked blessings and curses. Even in the present, Gaels strive to counteract centuries of misrepresentation of the Highlands as a backwater of barbarism without a valid story of its own to tell. Warriors of the Word offers a broad overview of Scottish Highland culture and history, bringing together rare and previously untranslated primary texts from scattered and obscure sources. Poetry, songs, tales, and proverbs, supplemented by the accounts of insiders and travellers, illuminate traditional ways of life, exploring such topics as folklore, music, dance, literature, social organisation, supernatural beliefs, human ecology, ethnic identity, and the role of language. This range of materials allows Scottish Gaeldom to be described on its own terms and to demonstrate its vitality and wealth of renewable cultural resources. This is an essential compendium for scholars, students, and all enthusiasts of Scottish culture.
£35.13
Birlinn General Healing Threads: Traditional Medicines of the Highlands and Islands
The Gaelic pharmacy was rich, the sources of which lay almost entirely in nature and were subject to the minimum of preparation. Much of the rich store of material comes from the great legacy of medieval Gaelic manuscripts. In more recent times, papers of medical societies have shown how traditional methods and cures are still of value to modern medicine. In addition to a general historical background, which traces the story of Highland folk tradition from earliest times, Mary Beith describes a whole variety of traditional remedies, cures and practices, from the healing properties of stone and metal, animals and insects, to rituals, charms and incantations. Her book also includes a list of the most commonly used herbs. Clearly written with extensive source notes, Healing Threads is a unique introduction to a subject that has fascinated generation after generation.
£13.60
Birlinn General Into the Bear Pit: The Explosive Autobiography
From being the most dominant club in Scottish football history, Rangers F.C., one of the most famous and powerful names in British sport, was sold to venture capitalist Craig Whyte in 2011 . . . for £1. When Whyte walked through the gates at Ibrox, the club was mired in debt and plagued with a toxic culture which seeped everywhere – from the corridors of power to a sectarian hard core in the stands. The ‘great Whyte hope’ was touted for a time as Rangers’ saviour but he was soon hung out to dry as the fall guy for Rangers’ misery as the unthinkable happened. The club was plunged into liquidation and the reformed club suffered the indignity of demotion to the third division, the lowest echelon of Scottish professional football. The demise of Rangers saw Whyte’s reputation eviscerated on the pages of every newspaper in the country, his name vilified on radio shows, TV programmes and blogs as every aspect of his professional and personal life was picked over. In 2012 he was arrested and accused of fraud. He was put on trial where he faced the full might and resources of the government for his role in the downfall of the club. Although he was ultimately acquitted of all charges, he had to endure years of false accusations from some media outlets and multiple death threats from obsessed fans. Full of startling revelations, this is the previously untold story of greed, corruption and scandal at the heart of Rangers F.C., told, definitively, by the man who was at the very centre of the storm.
£13.12
Birlinn General The Stellar Debut of Galactica MacFee: The New 44 Scotland Street Novel
Glasgow for Bertie is the promised land. The city of pies and Irn Bru, far from his controlling mother, Irene – his place of escape. But how will he respond to the news of the proposed merging of Edinburgh and Glasgow? A new member of Bertie’s class at school is causing ripples in his social circle. She is called Galactica MacFee and is going to be a match for Olive and her lieutenant, Pansy. And, an incredible new discovery: a Pictish stone, that is said to have the first-know written poem carved into it is the talk of the town. But, when the poem is eventually translated, it is thought it is best to keep it under wraps. In this new instalment in the perennially popular 44 Scotland series, we are back in the world of Angus and Domenico, Bruce, Matthew and Elspeth, and, of course, Bertie and his friend Ranald Braveheart Macpherson. Filled with Alexander McCall Smith’s trademark wit, warmth and humour, this new book is a must-read.
£17.99
Birlinn General The Hidden Fires: A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd
Shortlisted for the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature Elemental, fierce and full of wonder, the Cairngorm mountains are the high and rocky heart of Scotland. To know them would take forever, to love them demands a kind of courageous surrender. In The Hidden Fires, Merryn Glover undertakes that challenge with Nan Shepherd as companion and guiding light. Following in the footsteps and contours of The Living Mountain, she explores the same landscapes and themes as Shepherd’s seminal work. This is a journey separated by time but unified by space and purpose, a conversation between two women across nearly a century that explores how entering the life of a mountain can illuminate our own. An Australian who grew up in the Himalayas, her early experiences of the Scottish hills and weather left her cold. But gradually acclimatising and with an approach like Shepherd’s, that is more mountain wandering than mountaineering, she discovers the spark that sets the hills and herself on fire. Through Glover’s deepening encounter, the wild majesty and iridescence of the Cairngorms is revealed in this beautiful evocation of landscape, place and identity. Shortlisted for The Great Outdoors Reader Awards 2024 'Merryn Glover’s The Hidden Fires is not just brave, it is remarkable' – Sir John Lister-Kaye
£12.02
Birlinn General Another Way to Split Water
In Alycia Pirmohamed’s debut collection, Another Way to Split Water, a woman’s body expands and contracts across the page, fog uncoils at the fringes of a forest, and water in all its forms cascades into metaphors of longing and separation just as often as it signals inheritance, revival, and recuperation. Language unfolds into unforgettable and arresting imagery, offering a map toward self-understanding that is deeply rooted in place. These poems are a lyrical exploration of how ancestral memory reforms and transforms throughout generations, through stories told and retold, imagined and reimagined. It is a meditation on womanhood, belonging, faith, intimacy, and the natural world. Shortlisted for the Raymond Souster Award 2023 and the Saltire Society Poetry Book of the Year Award 2023 Longlisted for the Jhalak Prize 2023, the Laurel Prize 2023 and the Michael Murphy Memorial Prize 2023
£11.25
Birlinn General The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom
Around the year 1885, Alfred Barnard was secretary of Harper's Weekly Gazette, a journal which featured facets of the wine and spirit trade. In order to provide his readers with the history and detailed descriptions of the whisky-making process, Barnard was determined to visit all the distilleries in Scotland, England and Ireland. The results of his tour were written up in Harper's Weekly Gazette, and then published in this book, which includes entries on names which still inspire the whisky connoisseur to this day – Bowmore, Glenlivet, Highland Park, Macallan and Talisker – as well as others which, though popular at the end of the nineteenth century, have not stood the test of time. The appeal of Barnard's book lies not only in his descriptions of the technical properties of each distillery, comparing equipment and differences in the distillation procedure, but also in the colourful descriptions of his journeys. Filled with historical references and anecdotes as well as details of how Barnard and his companions actually got to distilleries in some of the remotest parts of Britain, the book is also a lively picture of life and travel in the Victorian age. This facsimile edition is a valuable companion to all those with an interest in Scotland's national drink, and is superbly illustrated with over 200 engravings which show both the distilleries themselves as well as key parts of the distillation process. Includes five additional publications by Alfred Barnard, as well as entries on distilleries which still inspire the whisky connoisseur today, including Bowmore, Glenlivet, Highland Park, Macallan and Talisker.
£40.00
Birlinn General Arran: A History
Arran is an archaeological and geological treasure trove of stunning scenic beauty. Its history stretches back to the great stone circles, more than 5,000 years old, whose remnants still decorate the plains of Machrie. Runic inscriptions tell of a Viking occupation lasting centuries. Later, in 1307, King Robert the Bruce began his triumphant comeback from Arran. Subsequently, the island was repeatedly caught up and devastated in the savage dynastic struggles of medieval Scotland. After the 1707 Parliamentary Union, came a new and strange upheaval - unwarlike but equally unsettling: Arran became a test-bed for the new theories of the ideologists of the Industrial Revolution. The ancient 'runrig' style of farming gave way to enclosed fields and labour-saving methods, which eventually lead to the socially disastrous Highland Clearances to Arran, and the misfortune of the times was culminated by the Great Irish Potato Famine of 1845. At last, the area began to settle down through an increasingly stable mixture of agriculture and tourism in the 19th and 20th centuries. In this book, Thorbjorn Campbell gives an original, fascinating and comprehensive account of Arran's long and eventful history.
£13.60
Birlinn General Edinburgh: Mapping the City
Maps can tell much about the story of a place that traditional histories fail to communicate. This is particularly true of Edinburgh, one of the most visually stunning cities in the world and a place rich in historical and cultural associations. This lavishly illustrated book features 71 maps of Edinburgh which have been selected for the particular stories they reveal about the political, commercial and social life of Scotland and her capital. Many are reproduced in book form for the first time. Together, they present a fascinating insight into how Edinburgh has changed and developed over the last 500 years, and will appeal to all those with an interest in Edinburgh and Scottish history, as well as anyone interested in urban history, architectural history, town planning or the history of cartography.
£35.00
Birlinn General The Stornoway Black Pudding Bible
Seumas MacInnes, one of Scotland''s premier restaurateurs and owner of the iconic Cafe Gandolfi in Glasgow, is not afraid to take issue with the national bard over the sobriquet ''Great chieftain o'' the puddin race''. Without slighting the qualities of haggis, or indeed white pudding, he wholeheartedly maintains that the title rightfully belongs to black pudding - and, very specifically, Stornoway black pudding. Raised in Glasgow with a Hebridean heritage, he rates black pudding as a versatile and uniquely flavoursome ingredient which can be served in myriad ways that will come as a revelation to those who still mistakenly associate the humble marag dubh solely with fried breakfasts.The 100 recipes in The Stornoway Black Pudding Bible include everything from the Cafe Gandolfi''s black pudding and mushrooms with pancakes, to black pudding pakoras, black pudding tarts and black pudding, chorizo and bean stew. Black - or blood - pudding has a venerable past that stretches back to allusio
£7.32
Birlinn General Everyday Gaelic
This is an invaluable learning resource for anyone interested in Scottish Gaelic. In addition to basic words and phrases, it also includes more complex and idiomatic material, all arranged thematically and covering topics such as meeting and greeting, travelling, the weather and eating and drinking. There are also clearly explained sections on grammar and imitated pronunciation for all Gaelic words and phrases.The result is an accessible and useful book which will be of benefit to all levels and ages of Gaelic learners.This edition includes an audio download link to allow readers quick, easy and convenient access.
£15.17
Birlinn General War Paths: Walking in the Shadows of the Clans
Acclaimed historian Alistair Moffat sets off in the footsteps of the Highland clans and their definitive conflicts. In twelve journeys he explores places of conflict, recreating as he walks the tumult of battle. As he recounts the military prowess of the clans he also tells of their lives, their language and culture before it was all swept away. From the colonisers who attempted to ‘civilise’ the islanders of Lewis in the sixteenth century through the great battles of the eighteenth century – Killiekrankie, Dunkeld, Sheriffmuir, Falkirk and Culloden – this is a unique exploration of many of the places and events which define the country’s history. The disaster at Culloden in 1746 represented not just the defeat of the Jacobite dream but also the unleashing of merciless retribution from the British government which dealt the Highland clans a blow from which they would never recover. Locations included are: Prestonpans • Glenfinnan • The Isle of Lewis • Edinburgh • Inverlochy • Tippermuir • Mulroy • Killiecrankie • Dunkeld • Sherriffmuir • Falkirk • Culloden Moor • Arisaig & Morar
£18.99
Birlinn General Regeneration: The Rescue of a Wild Land
Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize In 1995 the National Trust for Scotland acquired Mar Lodge Estate in the heart of the Cairngorms. Home to over 5,000 species, this vast expanse of Caledonian woodlands, subarctic mountains, bogs, moors, roaring burns and frozen lochs could be a place where environmental conservation and Highland field sports would exist in harmony. The only problem was that due to centuries of abuse by human hands, the ancient Caledonian pinewoods were dying, and it would take radical measures to save them. After 25 years of extremely hard work, the pinewoods, bogs, moors and mountains are returning to their former glory. Regeneration is the story of this success, featuring not only the people who are protecting the land and quietly working to undo the wrongs of the past, but also the myriad creatures which inspire them to do so. In addition, it also tackles current controversies such as raptor persecution, deer management and rewilding and asks bigger questions about the nature of conservation itself: what do we see when we look at our wild places? What should we see?
£12.02
Birlinn General Scottish Gaelic in Twelve Weeks: With Audio Download
This new 2023 edition includes an audio download link. Scottish Gaelic in Twelve Weeks has been written both as a self-tuition course for beginners and also for use within the classroom. You may want to learn Gaelic because of a general interest in Celtic or Scottish history and culture, or because it was the everyday language of your ancestors. The cynical observer may wonder if the exercise is worthwhile, when only 1.5 per cent of Scotland’s population speak the language. However, Gaelic is far from dead; in some parts of the Highlands and Western Isles it is the everyday language and it represents an important part of the United Kingdom’s cultural mix. There are Gaelic-learning classes in almost every area of Scotland. Each lesson in the book contains some essential points of grammar explained and illustrated, exercises, a list of new vocabulary (with a guide to pronunciation, using the International Phonetics Alphabet), and an item of conversation.
£15.17
Birlinn General The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father’s Search for Justice
The destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in December 1988 was the largest attack on Britain since World War Two. 259 passengers and 11 townsfolk of Lockerbie were murdered. Libyan Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted of the crime. He maintained his innocence until his death in 2012. Among the passengers was Flora, beloved daughter of Dr Jim Swire. Jim accepted American claims that Libya was responsible, but during the Lockerbie Trial he began to distrust key witnesses and supposed firm evidence. Since then it has been revealed that the USA paid millions of dollars to two central identification witnesses, and the only forensic evidence central to the prosecution has been discredited. The book takes us along Dr. Swire’s journey as his initial grief and loss becomes a campaign to uncover the truth behind not only a personal tragedy but one of the modern world’s most shocking events.
£15.17
Birlinn General Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors
This is a new edition of the bestselling guide to this increasingly popular pursuit. Scotland has the best-maintained records and facilities of any country in the world for undertaking family research, and now that the National Records of Scotland are available online they can be consulted by anyone from whatever country. Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors is the National Records' official guide and is written in an accessible style from the unique perspective of a custodian of the records. It details all the latest internet developments, including a chapter on family history on the web. It also points to more traditional resources, explaining step by step how to research records of births, marriages and wills.
£13.60
Birlinn General The Viking Isles: Travels in Orkney and Shetland
Paul Murton has long had a love of the Viking north – the island groups of Orkney and Shetland and the old counties of Caithness and Sutherland – which, for centuries, were part of the Nordic world as depicted in the great classic the Orkneyinga Saga. Today this fascinating Scandanavian legacy can be found everywhere – in physical remains, place-names, local traditions and folklore, and much else besides. This is a personal account of Paul’s travels in the Viking north. Full of observation, history, anecdote and encounters with those who live there, it also serves as a practical guide to the many places of interest. From a sing-along with the Shanty Yell Boys to fishing off Muckle Flugga, from sword dancing with the men of Papa Stour to a Norwegian pub crawl in Lerwick, Paul paints a vivid picture of these lands and their people, and explores their extraordinary rich heritage.
£17.99
Birlinn General 101 Rums to Try Before You Die
Rum, once the poor relation of the spirit world, has undergone a revival and is no longer seen just as the preferred tipple for tipsy pirates. The craft drinks movement has certainly stimulated the rum world, with high numbers of new artisan rum brands launching around the world in the last few years. The rise of the rum cocktails is another successful trend, with the popularity of mojitos and mai tai contributing greatly in the growth and development of the rum market. Ian Buxton, the UK’s No.1 bestselling author on spirits, takes us on a tour of the different colours, flavours, creation methods and characteristics, and makes his pick of the best rums in the world. Whether you like your rum in cocktails, or prefer to sip it neat, this is the only book on rum you will ever need.
£13.60
Birlinn General St Kilda: A People's History
St Kilda is the most romantic and most romanticised group of islands in Europe. Soaring out of the North Atlantic Ocean like Atlantis come back to life, the islands have captured the imagination of the outside world for hundreds of years. Their inhabitants, Scottish Gaels who lived off the land, the sea and by birdcatching on high and precipitous cliffs, were long considered to be the Noble Savages of the British Isles, living in a state of natural grace. St Kilda: A People's History explores and portrays the life of the St Kildans from the Stone Age to 1930, when the remaining 36 islanderswere evacuated to the Scottish mainland. Bestselling author Roger Hutchinson digs deep into the archives to paint a vivid picture of the life and death, work and play of a small, proud and self-sufficient people in the first modern book to chart the history of the most remote islands in Britain.
£13.60
Birlinn General Burke and Hare
In a boarding house in West Port, an old army pensioner dies of natural causes. He owes the landlord rent. Instead of burying the body, the landlord, William Hare, and his friend, William Burke, fill the coffin with bark and sell the corpse to Dr. Robert Knox, an ambitious Edinburgh anatomist. They make a profit of GBP3 and 10 shillings. After this encouraging outcome, Burke and Hare decide to suffocate another sickly tenant. So begins the criminal career of the most notorious double act in serial killing. Here is the unvarnished, human story behind the infamous Burke and Hare murders. We delve into their past, their personalities and the circumstances that made them resort to murder as a money-making scheme. It's a tale of desperation and greed, of outsiders, ambition, corruption and betrayal. And it's all true!
£15.17
Birlinn General Mingulay: An Island and its People
A remote, barren and ruggedly beautiful island lies at the southern end of the Outer Hebrides. Its people, loyal for centuries, have abandoned it but the beauty and history of Mingulay remain. The story of St Kilda, whose inhabitants were also forced to leave, is well known, but that of Mingulay is no less poignant, and is told in this acclaimed book for the first time. Ben Buxton documents the story of a people and of an island. In the nineteenth century Mingulay was home to up to 160 islanders who lived by crofting, fishing and by catching seabirds from cliffs which are among the highest in Britain. Looking back through the annals of history, he uncovers the traditions of a hospitable, close community which thrived under clan rule. But set in lonely isolation in the stormy Atlantic, with no proper landing place, absentee landlords and insufficient fertile land, life for Mingulay's inhabitants was hard, and By 1912, the 'voluntary' evacuation of the island was complete.
£13.60
Birlinn General Revolution: Ange Postecoglou: The Man, the Methods and the Mastery
Unknown in Scotland upon his arrival and unheralded in the English game, Ange Postecoglou revels in his status as an outside agitator. After transforming a Celtic team in turmoil into serial winners, sweeping up five trophies over the course of two spectacular seasons, his appointment by Tottenham Hotspur made him the first Australian manager to take charge of a Premier League club. Revolution charts the dramatic story of Postecoglou’s instant impact on British football with Celtic and explores his life and times in the sport, through the eyes of those who know him best. Could a track record in Australian, Japanese and Scottish football transfer to the unique landscape of the English game? Would a man without a playing track record in Europe command the respect of a dressing room packed with international stars? Examining the traits that set him apart from his playing peers and the coaching education that has prepared him for his biggest challenge, Revolution provides an insight into the making of a man and the unique football philosophy that has reinvigorated teams and transformed playing styles at a succession of clubs across the globe.
£13.60
Birlinn General The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Colouring Book
As an outstanding exponent of Art Nouveau and leader of the ‘Glasgow Style’, Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s buildings, designs and paintings are known the world over. In this book Eilidh Muldoon shares her passion for one of the twentieth-century’s artistic giants. From Mackintosh’s most iconic buildings, such as the Glasgow School of Art, The Cranston Tearooms and Hill House to furniture, stained glass and fabric designs, these drawings are an ideal way to explore his artistic world, and by adding colour, adding your own personal stamp.
£9.28
Birlinn General Nature Notebook: Puffin
This notebook features a beautiful cover illustration by acclaimed nature artist Jane Smith. It contains 176 pages of lightly lined paper, head-and-tail bans, a ribbon marker and band to keep it securely fastened.
£9.99
Birlinn General Morvern: A Highland Parish
There must be very few corners left in the British Isles against whose picturesque and historical background so many dramas and epic tales have been played, but yet which so little has been documented. Such a place is Morvern – a roughly triangular-shaped peninsula lying west of Fort William and at the foot of the Great Glen. Immortalised by James MacPherson (as the home of Ossian, the Heroic Fingalian warrior), Tennyson and Scott, it is now a remote and little known part of what was Argyll lost in the anonymity of the Highland region. Morvern: A Highland Parish (first published as Reminiscences of a Highland Parish) was so popular from its first appearance in 1867 that it went through many editions. The value of Norman Macleod’s book today lies in its encapsulation of the past, its humour, its evocation of the scenery of Morvern and surroundings, and its specific appreciation of the remarkable natural intelligence and concern for humanity. It speaks of Morvern, but describes a whole breed of West Highlanders. Even more importantly it clarifies the Highlander’s own view of the Clan, a very necessary exercise at a time when notions of what a Clan is are romantically distanced from reality.
£14.38
Birlinn General Welsh Rugby 101
Welsh Rugby 101 is a compendium of fascinating facts, stats, stories, personalities and trivia - perfect for all fans of Welsh rugby. From the very first Test match against England in 1881 all the way through to the present day, Welsh rugby's rich history is distilled into 101 facts, stats and stories. This entertaining volume is an instructive, if sometimes irreverent - but always affectionate - guide to some of the groundbreaking firsts, controversies, innovations, characters, achievements and disasters that have taken place in the Principality over the years. Whether an expert or a novice, this is the perfect companion for those who follow Wales's exploits on the field and love to bask in light of its glorious (and sometimes inglorious) past.
£11.24
Birlinn General Love in the Time of Bertie: A 44 Scotland Street Novel
Life for Bertie seems to be moving at a pace that is rather out of his control. In Drummond Place gardens it seems that Olive has their future together all planned out. Meanwhile, upstairs at 44 Scotland Street, Bertie’s father Stuart is powerless to stop over-bearing Irene and her motion for Bertie to travel to Aberdeen on a three-month secondment. And, further up in the New Town, while Bruce Anderson plots with old-school chums, love blossoms in Big Lou’s Cafe. Warm hearted, humorous and wonderfully wise, Love in the Time of Bertie offers philosophical insight as well as sartorial elegance. Catch up once again with the extended family at No 44, in this the latest instalment in the Scotland Street series.
£17.99
Birlinn General Queen & Country: A Hew Cullan Mystery
1587. After three long years, exiled from home and family, and drawn into the depths of the London underworld under the tutelage of Elizabeth I's spymaster Francis Walsingham, Hew returns to Scotland with his new English wife, Frances. The execution of Mary, Queen of Scots has unleashed a torrent of anti-English sentiment in the Scottish people and fear in King James VI, jeopardising Hew's now unlawful marriage. However, the king invites Hew to investigate the perplexing meaning of a death's head painting that has come into his possession. What does it symbolise, and is it a message from his dead mother? Are the local painters all that they appear? If Hew solves the mystery, his marriage to Frances will be blessed. The stakes have never been higher as he embarks on a quest for love and life. Queen & Country is the fifth Hew Cullan Mystery by Shirley McKay.
£11.24
Birlinn General Nature Notebook Highland Cow
This notebook features a stunning cover with artwork by acclaimed nature artist Jane Smith. It contains lined paper, a head and-tail band, a ribbon marker and band to keep it securely fastened. This is one of a range of Birlinn nature notebooks with other iconic designs including the otter, red squirrel, puffin, seal and sea eagle.
£9.99