Search results for ""birlinn general""
Birlinn General Nature Notebook Sea Eagle
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 Highland cow.
£9.99
Birlinn General The Long Golden Afternoon: Golf's Age of Glory, 1864-1914
Shortlisted for the 2023 Sports Book Awards for Best Sports Writing of the Year Shortlisted for the USGA Herbert Warren Wind Book Award The Long Golden Afternoon tells 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 thinking about golf, and the decision that the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews must always remain the sport's guiding light. 'A beautifully crafted examination of a period in the history of golf that will never again be witnessed. It is not to be missed' - Jim Davis, The Golf
£25.00
Birlinn General Skye: The Island and Its Legends
This is a fabulous treasury of legend and wonder; tales of monsters who dwell in lakes, of small people who trap humans in earthen mounds where time stands still; of dark, shape- shifting spirits whose cloak of human form is betrayed by the sand and shells which fall from their hair. In the absence of a written tradition, for generations of Skianachs, these tales, handed down orally, contained the very warp and weft of Hebridean history. They take us far beyond Christian times, to the edge of the Iron Age, and interweave with threads from the wider Atlantic tradition of Gaelic heroic myth and legend.
£10.45
Birlinn General The Truth About St. Kilda: An Islander's Memoir
The Truth about St Kilda is a unique record of the isolated way of life on St Kilda in the early part of the twentieth century, based on seven handwritten notebooks written by the Rev. Donald Gillies, containing reminiscences of his childhood on the island of Hirta. It provides a first-hand account of the living conditions, social structure and economy of the community in the early 1900s, before the evacuation of the remaining residents in 1930. The memoirs describe in some detail the St Kildans' way of life, including religious life and the islanders' diet. The puritanical form of religion practised on St Kilda has often been interpreted by outsiders as austere and draconian, but Gillies' account of the islanders' religious practices makes clear the important role that these had in reinforcing the spiritual stamina of the community. This book is a lasting tribute to the adaptability and courage of a small Gaelic-speaking society which endured through two millennia on a remote cluster of islands, until its way of life could no longer be sustained.
£11.24
Birlinn General Songs of Gaelic Scotland
Gaelic Scotland is one of the world's great treasure-houses of song. In this anthology, Anne Lorne Gillies has gathered together music and lyrics from all over the Gaelic-speaking Highlands and Islands - an extraordinary tradition that stretches in an unbroken line from the bardic effusions of ancient times to the Celtic fusions of today's vibrant young Gaelic musicians and poets. They paint vivid pictures of life among ordinary Gaelic-speaking people, their hopes, fears and preoccupations, births, deaths and marriages, and personal reactions to the great changes that blew their lives about. Everything about this book is designed to make the songs accessible to musicians and general readers alike. Anne Lorne Gillies provides a unique and informative introduction to Gaelic tradition, simple yet highly sensitive musical transcriptions, and English translations. She portrays the social and historical background of the songs, offers her own commentary on technical aspects of the music and its performance, and adds carefully researched biographical notes and a full discography in order to bring to life not only the people who composed the songs but also some of the singers and musicians who have continued the tradition into the twenty-first century. Songs of Gaelic Scotland was winner of the 2006 Ruth Michaelis-Jena Ratcliff Prize in Folklore and Folklife.
£40.00
Birlinn General A Drop in the Ocean: Lawrence MacEwen and the Isle of Muck
Polly Pullar tells the fascinating tale of one of the Hebrides unique thriving small communities through the colourful anecdotes of Lawrence MacEwen, whose family have owned the island since 1896. A wonderfully benevolent, and eccentric character, his passion and love for the island and its continuing success, has always been of the utmost importance. He has kept diaries all his life and delves deep into them, unveiling a uniquely human story, punctuated with liberal amounts of humour, as well as heart-rending tragedy, always dominated by the vagaries of the sea. Here are tales of coal puffers and livestock transportation on steamers and small boats, extraordinary chance meetings and adventures that eventually led him to finding his wife Jenny, on the island of Soay. It's a book about the small hard-grafting community of 30 souls on this fertile island of just 1500 acres.
£11.24
Birlinn General Red Dot Parenting: How to help your kids reach their sporting potential
It’s not easy being a parent of sporty kids. On an almost daily basis kids go through ups and downs in training and competition and as a parent, it can be challenging to know how to help – ‘I wasn’t selected again, mum, and I’m not sure I want to play anymore.’ In Red Dot Parenting, former Scotland rugby star and Institute of Sport mentor, Tony Stanger, shows parents what they can do to help when these moments happen. Parents are NOT the coach. But they do have a crucial role in supporting their child’s sporting education. Stanger draws on years of experience as an elite athlete, talent systems expert and father of three sporty kids. He is passionate about helping parents to better understand their role in supporting their children to reach their sporting potential. This is a book for parents of kids at any level who love sport and want to get as much out of it as they can. Parents will learn the danger of young people having too much early success and being labelled a superstar junior. The book explains why kids who are not so good when they are young are often the ones who have the best chance of long-term success. Based on robust science yet presented in an easy to read and understand format, this book is full of tips and ideas parents can put into practise straight away to build on the things they already do well. The evidence tells us parents are crucial in children achieving their goals in sport, this book explains what they can do to help.
£10.45
Birlinn General Three Fires
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 excommunicated and then executed by a combination of hanging and being burnt at the stake. Denise Mina brings a modern take to this fascinating historical story - drawing parallels between the febrile atmosphere of medieval Florence and the culture wars of the present day. In dramatising the life and last days of Savonarola she explores the downfall of the original architect of cancel culture and in the process explores the neverending tensions between wealth, inequality, and freedom of speech that so dominate our modern world.
£11.25
Birlinn General The Funny Thing About Death
'It’s a wildly satisfying and moving read ... I loved this special book' – Graham Norton Six years ago, Jo Caulfield was about to go on stage when she found out that her big sister Annie had cancer. Not the best way to start a nationwide comedy tour. But the tour turns out to be a welcome distraction for both sisters. As Jo reports back from various hotels and service stations, they revisit their childhood and adolescence while navigating Annie’s illness, learning through trial and error how to behave when someone you love gets sick. The Funny Thing About Death is a hilarious memoir of two unconventional girls growing up in the 1970s. They didn’t fit in at the Air Force bases they were raised on or the strict convent boarding school they were sent to. The Air Force was obsessed with communists and the nuns were obsessed with the Virgin Mary, neither of which were of interest to Jo or Annie. Annie was witty, spiky and greedy for life, rushing to be ‘interesting’ and experience adventures. She travelled the world and became a screenwriter and broadcaster. Jo was equally rebellious but didn’t have a plan. She just wanted to be interesting like her big sister and thought it might involve eyeliner, smoking and being in a band. Like her stand-up, Jo Caulfield’s caustic wit and razor-sharp observations make her account of life with her sister, even in the worst of times, as entertaining as it is touching and relatable.
£16.99
Birlinn General Between Mountain and Sea: Poems From Assynt
'Two Men at Once' is one of Norman MacCaig best known poems. He was indeed two men at once: Edinburgh, the city where he was born and lived as a teacher and poet, was his home, but no other place shaped his poetry more than Assynt in Sutherland. It is here that he would spend many a summer on family holidays, walking the hills and fishing the lochs. MacCaig’s fresh eye saw remarkable newness even in the everyday and each poem is a tiny revelation, a new look at an old friend. This collection celebrates, renews, and rediscovers Norman MacCaig’s Assynt.
£13.60
Birlinn General Homecoming
One of the most famous queens in history, Mary Stuart lived in her homeland for just twelve years: as a dauntless child who laughed at her friends' seasickness as they sailed to safety in France and later, on her return as a 18-year-old widow to take control of a nation riven with factions, dissent and religious strife. Brief though her time in Scotland was, her experience profoundly in?uenced who she was and what happened to her.In this book, Rosemary Goring tells the story of Mary's Scottish years through the often dramatic and atmospheric locations and settings where the events that shaped her life took place and also examines the part Scotland, and its tumultuous court and culture, played in her downfall. Whether or not Mary Stuart emerges blameless or guilty, in this evocative retelling she can be seen for who she really was.Locations included:Linlithgow Palace * Stirling Castle * Dumbarton Castle * Leith * Holyrood Palace * Crichton Castle * Darnaway Castle * Huntly Castle * Spyn
£13.60
Birlinn General The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI and I
James VI and I, the first monarch to reign over Scotland, England and Ireland, has long endured a mixed reputation. To many, he is simply the homosexual King, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless man behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, or the drooling fool whose speech could barely be understood. For too long, he has paled in comparison to his more celebrated Tudor and Stuart forebears. But who was he really? To what extent have myth, anecdote, and rumour obscured him? In this new and ground-breaking biography, James’s story is laid bare and a welter of scurrilous, outrageous assumptions penned by his political opponents put to rest. What emerges is a portrait of Elizabeth I's successor as his contemporaries knew him: a gregarious, idealistic man obsessed with the idea of family, whose personal and political goals could never match up to reality. With reference to letters, libels and state papers, it casts fresh light on the personal, domestic, international and sexual politics of this misunderstood sovereign. 'A real page-turner for lovers of history' - Philippa Gregory
£25.00
Birlinn General Picts: Scourge of Rome, Rulers of the North
Shortlisted for the EAA Book Prize and the Current Archaeology Book of the Year Award The Picts have fascinated for centuries. They emerged c. ad 300 to defy the might of the Roman empire only to disappear at the end of the first millennium ad, yet they left major legacies. They laid the foundations for the medieval Scottish kingdom and their captivating carved stones are some of the most eye-catching yet enigmatic monuments in Europe. Until recently the Picts have been difficult to trace due to limited archaeological investigation and documentary sources, but innovative new research has produced critical new insights into the culture of a highly sophisticated society which defied the might of the Roman Empire and forged a powerful realm dominating much of northern Britain. This is the first dedicated book on the Picts that covers in detail both their archaeology and their history. It examines their kingdoms, culture, beliefs and everyday lives from their origins to their end, not only incorporating current thinking on the subject, but also offering innovative perspectives that transform our understanding of the early history of Scotland.
£22.00
Birlinn General Newcastle upon Tyne: Mapping the City
Newcastle has a long and distinguished history through two millennia: a Roman fortress at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall; an important centre of monasticism; a 'royal' bulwark against attacks and invasion from Scotland; and the principal centre for the export of coal to London. In the 19th century it was transformed into an elegant Georgian townscape with dramatic streets and handsome public buildings. It and other towns on the Tyne - Gateshead, Jarrow, Wallsend, Tynemouth, North and South Shields - developed important industries: shipbuilding, glass and heavy engineering. Tyneside suffered severe contraction in the 20th century as heavy industry declined, but it has begun to reinvent itself and create new growth shoots, not least its vibrant cultural industries including music and art. This book takes an innovative approach to telling the story of the area's history by focusing on the historic maps and plans that record the growth and development of Newcastle and Tyneside over many centuries.
£30.00
Birlinn General Be Quiet, Bramble!
Bramble the cow lives on an old farm where she has lots of friends. But she has a problem – she hates loud noises! She doesn’t like the buzzing of bees, or the sound of the wind during a storm, or the farmer’s combine harvester. And she doesn’t like the rain. One night, after a heavy storm, the river floods. The other animals are frightened, but Bramble knows what to do and sets off to rescue them.
£8.88
Birlinn General Scottish Plant Lore: An Illustrated Flora
Scotland’s plants define its landscape – from the heather moorlands of its iconic habitats to the weeds and a garden plants of its towns and cities. Plants have shaped the country’s domestic economy and culture over centuries, providing resources for agriculture and industry as well as food, drink and medicines. They have even inspired children’s games and been used as components in magical charms Drawing together traditional knowledge from archives and oral histories with the work of some of the country’s finest botanical artists, this book is a magnificent celebration of the enormous wealth of Scottish plant lore.
£20.00
Birlinn General The Colouring Book of Edinburgh
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.
£10.45
Birlinn General Ghosts in the Gloaming: A Tale from Kinloch
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?
£11.24
Birlinn General Hebridean Calendar 2024
This calendar features distinctive full-colour paintings by one of Scotland’s best-loved authors and artists and is a wonderful celebration of the extraordinary natural beauty of the Hebrides throughout the seasons. Mairi Hedderwick’s drawings, produced over a period of more than forty years, expertly capture the unique character and diversity of Hebridean land and seascapes, from wind-swept moors and dramatic cliffs to rolling hills and secluded woods.
£10.99
Birlinn General The Scottish Baking Bible
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.
£8.10
Birlinn General Treasure Islands: True Tales of a Shipwreck Hunter
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…
£9.99
Birlinn General The Grand Scuttle: The Sinking of the German Fleet at Scapa Flow in 1919
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.
£9.99
Birlinn General The Coffin Roads: Journeys to the West
'Coffin roads' along which bodies were carried for burial are a marked feature of the landscape of the Scottish Highlands and islands – many are now popular walking and cycling routes. This book journeys along eight coffin roads to discover and explore the distinctive traditions, beliefs and practices around dying, death and mourning in the communities which created and used them. The result is a fascinating snapshot into place and culture. After more than a century when death was very much a taboo subject, this book argues that aspects of the distinctive West Highland and Hebridean way of death and approach to dying and mourning may have something helpful and important to offer to us today. Routes covered in this book are: The Kilmartin Valley – the archetypal coffin road in this ritual landscape of the dead. The Street of the Dead on Iona – perhaps the best known coffin road in Scotland. Kilearnadil Graveyard, Jura – a perfect example of a Hebridean graveyard. The coffin road through Morvern to Keil Church, Lochaline - among the best defined and most evocative coffin roads today. The Green Isle, Loch Shiel, Ardnamurchan - the oldest continuously used burial place anywhere in Europe. The coffin road on Eigg – with its distinctive ‘piper’s cairn’ where the coffin of Donald MacQuarrie, the 'Great Piper of Eigg', was rested. The coffin road from Traigh Losgaintir to Loch Stocinis on Harris - popular with walkers and taken as the title for a best-selling thriller by Peter May. The coffin road on Barra – A detailed study of burial practices on Barra in the early 1950s provides a fascinating record of Hebridean attitudes to dying, death and mourning.
£10.45
Birlinn General The Two-Headed Whale: Life and Loss in the Deepest Oceans
Shortlisted for the Saltire Society First Book of the Year Award In 2016, Sandy Winterbottom embarked on an epic six-week tall-ship voyage from Uruguay to Antarctica. At the mid-way stop in South Georgia, her pristine image of the Antarctic was shattered when she discovered the dark legacy of twentieth century industrial-scale whaling. Enraged by what she found, she was quick to blame the men who undertook this wholescale slaughter, but then she stumbled upon the grave of an eighteen-year-old whaler from Edinburgh who she could not allow to bear the brunt of blame. There are two sides to every story. The Two-Headed Whale vividly brings to life the spectacular scenery and wildlife of the vast Southern Oceans, set alongside the true-life story of Anthony Ford, the boy in the grave, as he sailed the same seas and toiled in an industry where profits outranked human life. In this compelling account, Sandy challenges our preconceptions of the Antarctic, weaving in themes of colonialism, capitalism and its link to both environmental and human exploitation. Drawing together threads of nature and travel writing with an unflinching narrative of life onboard a whaling factory ship and the legacy it left behind, The Two-Headed Whale leaves us questioning our troubled relationship with the extraordinary abundance of this planet.
£14.99
Birlinn General In Search of Angels: Travels to the Edge of the World
Longlisted for The Highland Book Prize 2020 Fourteen centuries ago, Irish saints brought the Word of God to the Hebrides and Scotland’s Atlantic shore. These ‘white martyrs’ sought solitude, remoteness, even harshness, in places apart from the world where they could fast, pray and move closer to an understanding of God: places where they could see angels. Columba, who founded the famous monastery at Iona, was the most well-known of these courageous men who rowed their curraghs towards danger and uncertainty in a pagan land, but the many others are now largely forgotten by history. In this book, Alistair Moffat journeys from the island of Eileach an Naoimh at the mouth of the Firth of Lorne to Lismore, Iona and then north to Applecross, searching for traces of these extraordinary men. He finds them not often in any tangible remains, but in the spirit of the islands and remote places where they passed their exemplary lives. Brendan, Moluag, Columba, Maelrubha and others brought the Gaelic language and echoes of how the saints saw their world can still be heard in its cadences. And the tradition of great piety endures.
£22.32
Birlinn General Glasgow Street Names
There is a story in the name of almost every street and district in Glasgow, with some tracing their origins to pagan times, long before Glasgow could even be called a city. In this hugely informative and entertaining book, Carol Foreman not only investigates the influences and inspirations for many of the city's most famous thoroughfares, but also considers the origins of particular districts, buildings and even the great River Clyde itself. This revised edition includes new information on city-centre street names from the M8 to the north bank of the Clyde, to Glasgow Green and Bridgeton in the east and to Kingston Bridge in the west. Also included are the districts of the Gorbals, the West End and Anderston. Packed with fascinating information and enhanced with over a hundred photographs and drawings, Glasgow Street Names is an indispensable book which introduces the history of the city in an imaginative and accessible way.
£13.60
Birlinn General Our Blood is Green: The Springboks in their Own Words
The leaping Springbok on the green jersey of South Africa is one of the most iconic emblems in world rugby. At the same time, no symbol in world sport has ever done so much to divide – and then unite – a nation. Respected by opponents and supported passionately by South Africans, the Springboks have been a powerhouse rugby nation for over a century, yet the emblem that now sits alongside the Protea on the chests of the players was once a symbol of violent oppression in apartheid South Africa, the epitome of the white man’s dominance over people of colour in the Republic. Told in the words of Springboks past and present, Our Blood is Green explores what it means to play for South Africa – from schoolboy dreams to the sacrifices required to make it to the very top – as well as the myriad difficulties the players have faced over the years, from the horrors of apartheid through to the emerging rainbow nation in the 1990s and the multi-cultural World Cup-winning team of today. It is a fascinating, powerful and poignant read that explores the unity of a brotherhood that fights to transcend race, culture and class while simultaneously striving to become the best team on the planet. Our Blood is Green examines what it truly means to be a Springbok and it is told the only way it can be – by the players themselves.
£17.99
Birlinn General I Think of You
This new collection is a fascinating journey into the heart of each of us – from the author of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency and the 44 Scotland Street series. In I Think of You, the reader travels through literary Edinburgh in summer, heartbreak in a rain-drenched glen in the Highlands, a voyage on the Argo in Ancient Greece, and from Dallas to Helsinki and home again. Throughout this collection, the author explores various themes of love, kindness and friendship, as well as the philosophy of food, the idiosyncrasies of language and the importance of canonical hours. Each poem is a journey of the soul that interrogates what it is to love and to be alive.
£13.60
Birlinn General The 44 Scotland Street Cookbook: Recipes from the Bestselling Series by Alexander McCall Smith
With a foreword by Alexander McCall Smith 'That which is uncooked is destined to be cooked, if has been prepared with cooking in mind' – The Enigma of Garlic Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street novels are loved and enjoyed by readers throughout the world. In each book there are countless scenes involving conversations around the table, in the kitchen, or in a cafe – friendship and food go well together. With this delightful cookbook readers can immerse themselves in the world of Edinburgh's New Town and recreate some of their favourite characters' signature dishes: enjoy Bertie's much-loved Panforte di Sienna, Angus Lordie's famous cheese scones or host your own Scotland Street supper.
£13.60
Birlinn General A Handsel: New and Collected Poems
Liz Lochhead is one of the country’s leading poets. Her work has paved the way and inspired some of the most inspirational voices writing in Scotland today, including Ali Smith, Kathleen Jamie, Jackie Kay and Carol Ann Duffy. In A Handsel, the first new poems from Scotland’s second modern Makar since 2016’s Fugitive Colours, the poet celebrates people and those small momentous moments that encapsulate so much of her work. It is human relationships that sit at the heart of these poems; each one is a beautifully realised snapshot that explores the poet’s past, her friendships and revisits favourite characters from earlier collections. This landmark publication collects for the first time the poetry of Liz Lochhead. Bringing work back into print, this collected poems publishes all of the poet’s collections, presented in their entirety: Memo for Spring, Islands, The Grimm Sisters, Dreaming Frankenstein, The Colour of Black and White and Fugitive Colours, as well as poems from Bagpipe Muzak and True Confessions.
£25.00
Birlinn General The Edwin Morgan Twenties: Love
Introduced by Jackie Kay, this selection of poems include the famous ‘Strawberries’ and ‘One Cigarette’ and four from Morgan’s autobiographical sequence, Love and a Life – love in all its aspects.
£7.33
Birlinn General In a Time of Distance: And Other Poems
What really counts in this life? For the writer, Alexander McCall Smith, it is friendship and love – themes that crop up time and again in his novels. And it is these themes that he explores in this collection of poems, with moments that swoop and soar, and descriptions that will make you laugh and realign your view. This collection reminds us to look at the world differently, to stop once in while and look up at the sky.
£13.60
Birlinn General The Faded Map: The Lost Kingdoms of Scotland
In this modern age the regional and national boundaries which define Scotland seem fixed and permanent. But of course this has not always been so. In this book Alistair Moffat looks at the shifting political shape of the land long before its modern borders were created. In doing so he brings to vivid life the half-forgotten kingdoms that came and went during Roman times, the Dark Ages and the early medieval period. This is a fascinating journey into a tantalisingly little-known period of our history, yet one which is crucial to our understanding of who we are and where we came from. 'Moffat's tireless reasearch ... and commanding knowledge bring these forgotten peoples to life' – Scottish Field
£12.02
Birlinn General The Pocket Gaelic-English English-Gaelic Dictionary
Angus Watson's Gaelic dictionaries are now established as some of the most popular and useful dictionaries available for learners of Scottish Gaelic. This volume, condensed from his essential Gaelic-English English-Gaelic Dictionary is a fantastic resource for users at all levels, and in all contexts. Its generous coverage of vocabulary from fields such as business and IT makes it a valuable tool for all those who require an up-to-date reference work. It contains a large amount of explanatory material, numerous examples of usage and idiomatic phrases and expressions. Many registers and styles are sampled, from the familiar (and occasionally the vulgar) to the formal and the literary. Cross-references draw the user to related words and expressions.
£12.02
Birlinn General Tales and Travels of a School Inspector
For nearly forty years John Wilson travelled the length and breadth of Scotland as a school inspector. From orkney to campbeltown and Jura to Dundee, he visited hundreds of schools and met thousands of teachers and pupils. In these memoirs, first published in 1928, he paints an insightful yet humorous picture of life in the country’s schools after the 1872 education Act, which brought free schooling for all Scottish children between the ages of five and ten.
£11.24
Birlinn General The Borders
This is the story of a part of Scotland that has played a huge role in the nation''s history for thousands of years. The hunter-gatherers, who first discovered the bounty of the ancient Wildwood, the Celtic warlords, the Romans, the Northumbrians and the Reivers, who dominated the Anglo-Scottish borderlands for more than three centuries, have all had their part to play in the constantly evolving life of the area.It is the people of a place who make its history. Alistair Moffat''s acclaimed book is a testament to those who have made the Borders their home and who have created the traditions, myths and romance that define it so strongly.
£15.17
Birlinn General The Fire of the Dragon
Shortlisted forthe Orwell Prize 2023As seen in The Times, Sunday Times, Spectator, and on Tonight with Andrew Marr (LBC)Under President Xi Jinping, China''s global ambitions have taken a dangerous new turn. Bullying and intimidation have replaced diplomacy. Trade and investment, even big-spending tourists and students, have been weaponised. Beijing has strengthened its alliance with Vladimir Putin, supporting Russia''s aggression in Ukraine, and brooks no criticism of its own flagrant human rights violations against the Uyghur population in western China.Leaders in the West say they don''t want a cold war with China, but it''s a little late for that. Beijing is already waging a more complex, broader and more dangerous cold war than the old one with the Soviet Union. And it is intensifying.This thought-provoking and alarming book examines this new cold war''s many fronts - from Taiwan and the South China Sea to the Indian frontier, the Arctic and cyberspace. In doing so it proclaims the
£13.60
Birlinn General Planting with Nature: A Guide to Sustainable Gardening
By re-imagining how we plan and use our gardens, we can all do our bit to support local wildlife, improve our health and help tackle the climate crisis. Positive steps, no matter how small, can really make a difference. This is a practical, easy-to-use guide for anyone who wants to boost nature in their patch and make the world a little greener. Illustrated with specially commissioned drawings, it contains essential information on many topics, from planting nectar-rich borders, native hedgerows, trees and wildflower meadows to creating rain gardens, green roofs and ponds. These activities, together with providing homes and feeders for birds, mammals, amphibians, bees and other insects, will encourage many kinds of native wildlife to thrive in your garden, whatever its size. Expert advice is also provided on sustainable gardening approaches to fruit and vegetable production, making compost and the propagation of new plants.
£15.17
Birlinn General Magic Painting Book: Scottish Nature
Let your children discover all of the most iconic Scottish animals with this remarkable magic painting book! Discover the majestic red deer, playful otter and the amazing Highland cow with the magic paint brush! Go on a journey through all the animals, big and small, in this exquisite and stimulating book that will entertain children of all ages. Just dip the brush (included with the book) in water and apply directly to the page to bring the illustrations to vibrant life!
£9.67
Birlinn General The Great Tapestry of Scotland
The Great Tapestry of Scotland is an outstanding celebration of thousands of years of Scottish history and achievement, from the end of the last Ice Age to Dolly the Sheep and Andy Murry’s Wimbledon victory of 2013. More than 1000 stitchers spent a total of 55,000 sewing hours on the 160 panels that make up this extraordinary work of art. This book shows in full colour all the finished panels of the tapestry – one of the biggest community arts projects ever to take place in Scotland – together with descriptive and explanatory material on each panel and lists of all the stitchers involved.
£30.00
Birlinn General The Flowers of the Forest: Scotland and the First World War
On the brink of the First World War, Scotland was regarded throughout the British Isles as 'the workshop of the Empire'. Not only were Clyde-built ships known the world over, Scotland produced half of Britain's total production of railway equipment, and the cotton and jute industries flourished in Paisley and Dundee. In addition, Scots were a hugely important source of manpower for the colonies. Yet after the war, Scotland became an industrial and financial backwater. Emigration increased as morale slumped in the face of economic stagnation and decline. The country had paid a disproportionately high price in casualties, a result of huge numbers of volunteers and the use of Scottish battalions as shock troops in the fighting on the Western Front and Gallipoli - young men whom the novelist Ian Hay called 'the vanished generation'. In this book, Trevor Royle provides the first full account of how the war changed Scotland irrevocably by exploring a wide range of themes - the overwhelming response to the call for volunteers; the performance of Scottish military formations in 1915 and 1916; the militarization of the Scottish homeland; the resistance to war in Glasgow and the west of Scotland; and the boom in the heavy industries and the strengthening of women's role in society following on from wartime employment.
£13.60
Birlinn General Mull and Iona: A Historical Guide
Mull and Iona are two of the most visited islands in Scotland, and have played a central role in the history of the country. As the cradle of Christianity in Scotland, Iona has been a place of pilgrimage for almost 1,500 years and was a beacon of intellectual light during the Dark Ages, when magnificent works such as the Book of Kells were crafted by the monks of the abbey founded by St Columba. This book provides a full and engaging history of the islands from the time of their earliest human inhabitants to the present day. The gazetteer lists all the places of interest from all periods in the islands’ history, from the world-wide renowned churches, crosses and grave slabs on Iona and the magnificent restored Duart Castle on Mull, seat of the clan Maclean, to the planned village of Dervaig, the townships in the Ross of Mull and Ardmeanach which were cleared during the nineteenth century and the mausoleum of Lachlan MacQuarrie, the much esteemed 18th-century Governor of New South Wales.
£11.24
Birlinn General The West Highland Way: The Official Guide
Opened in 1980, the West Highland Way was Scotland’s first Long Distance Route and remains the most popular, with more than 15,000 walkers tackling it each year. It runs from Milngavie, on the outskirts of Glasgow, to Fort William. The 152km route passes along the east of Loch Lomond, the largest expanse of fresh water in Britain, and across Rannoch Moor, Scotland’s grandest wilderness, through some of the finest scenery of mountain and stream, woodland and moorland, that Scotland has to offer. This eleventh edition of the Official Guide has been fully revised and updated to include new information and photography and a new full-colour folding map prepared for this edition by Nicolson Maps, all packaged in a weatherproof plastic wallet.
£16.99
Birlinn General The Reivers: The Story of the Border Reivers
From the early fourteenth century to the end of the sixteenth, the Anglo-Scottish borderlands witnessed one of the most intense periods of warfare and disorder ever seen in modern Europe. As a consequence of near-constant conflict between England and Scotland, Borderers suffered at the hands of marauding armies, who ravaged the land, destroying crops, slaughtering cattle, burning settlements and killing indiscriminately. Forced by extreme circumstances, many Borderers took to reiving to ensure the survival of their families and communities, and for the best part of 300 years, countless raiding parties made their way over the border. The story of the Reivers is one of survival, stealth, treachery, ingenuity and deceit, expertly brought to life in Alistair Moffat’s acclaimed book.
£12.02
Birlinn General St Cuthbert's Way: The Official Guide
This 100k (60 mile) walk was opened in 1996 and has rapidly increased in popularity, with thousands of walkers walking all or parts of it every year. Visiting a number of places closely associated with St Cuthbert’s life, the journey is full of historical interest and natural beauty. It can be tackled in its entirety, or sections can be walked separately, making an ideal day or weekend outing. Today’s pilgrims travel from Melrose in the Scottish Borders to the Holy Island causeway at Beal. In the right conditions, the path across the sand here makes a superb finale to the walk. This completely revised edition of the Official Guide adds an entirely new full-colour folding map, prepared by leading Scottish cartographer Nicolson Maps for this edition, and packaged with the Guide in a weatherproof wallet. It is illustrated in full colour with photographs throughout and new maps (also by Nicolson Maps) at the opening of each section. Full of information about the historical and natural features of the route, the Guide also covers appropriate equipment for walkers, way-marking, car parking, accommodation and the Country Code. After the walk, the Guide makes a wonderful souvenir of one of Britain’s most evocative long-distance ways.
£16.99
Birlinn General Tir a'Mhurain: The Outer Hebrides of Scotland
Tir a'Mhurain is a collection of photographs that reflects the impressions gathered by Paul Strand and his wife Hazel during their 3-month visit to the Hebrides in 1945. Juxtaposing people and landscape, Strand's beautifully sequenced photographs depict the perfect complicity he saw between nature and habitation in their wild terrain. Whether it is a view of the rocks and the sea or a grinning shepherd boy; scuddling clouds hanging over seaside house or the wrinkled face of an old lady framed by a knitted shawl, Strand's images transcend the ephemeral. This extended portrait captures the essence and complexity of a singular place. This is a true masterpiece of photography.
£25.00
Birlinn General The Sticker Atlas of Scotland
This sticker atlas is a stimulating and fun way to introduce children to the various regions of Scotland and introduce the immense variety of the country’s landscape, flora and fauna, and places of cultural significance. Ben Blathwayt is renowned for his beautiful and detailed illustrative work, which is ideal for this medium.
£11.24
Birlinn General The Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances stands out as one of the most emotive chapters in the history of Scotland. This book traces the origins of the Clearances from the eighteenth century to their culmination in the crofting legislation of the 1880s. In considering both the terrible suffering of the Highland people as well as the stark choices that faced landowners during a period of rapid economic change, it shows how the Clearances were one of many 'attempted' solutions to the problem of how to maintain a population on marginal and infertile land, and were, in fact, part of a wider European movement of rural depopulation. In drawing attention away from the mythology to the hard facts of what actually happened, The Highland Clearances offers a balanced analysis of events which created a terrible scar on the Highland and Gaelic imagination.
£15.17