Search results for ""birlinn""

Julia Win, a successful Manhattan lawyer, is at a crossroads in her life. Despite her wealth and privilege, she is exhausted and unhappy – a lost soul. She returns to Burma, the homeland of her father, where she encounters an anguished mother whose life is shattered when her two sons are called up from their rural village to fight in Burma’s civil war. Both women embark on their own journeys of self-discovery, experiencing heartbreak, horror, love and, ultimately, redemption. This mesmerising novel explores the most inspiring and passionate terrain of all: the human heart.

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After distinguished service in the First World War, Richard Hannay settles into peaceful domesticity with his wife Mary and their young son. However, news comes to him of three kidnappings. With no more than a few tantalisingly cryptic lines of verse as clues, he is soon on the trail of Dominick Medina – a charismatic polymath but a man ‘utterly and consumedly wicked’. As Hannay uncovers an international plot to twist innocent minds through hypnotism and blackmail, it appears that he has met his match in one of Buchan’s most memorable villains. With an introduction by Christopher Hitchens. This edition is authorised by the John Buchan Society.

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Columba And All That is a real-life adventure packed with historical facts about the legendary Celtic saint. Join Columba as he leaves his home in Ireland for the undiscovered country of Scotland. Witness magic and miracles as Columba confronts the Loch Ness Monster and mysterious painted warriors. Packed with fantastic illustrations, Columba And All That is one man's epic quest to spread the Word of God in a strange land - and hoping the natives like what they hear! Aimed at children aged 8-12. Discover the difference between Christians and Pagans Find out how to make a Columban boat from animal skins Explore Columba's monastery at Iona Uncover Columba's dark secrets

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WINNER OF THE SALTIRE SOCIETY HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEARNext morning at about 6 o'clock my mother wakened us to say there had been a shipwreck and bodies were being washed ashore. My fatherhad gone with others to look for survivors ... I don't think any survivors came in at Port Ellen but bodies did.The loss of two British ships crammed with American soldiers bound for the trenches of the First World War brought the devastation of war directly to the shores of the Scottish island of Islay.The sinking of the troopship Tuscania by a German U-Boat on 5 February 1918 was the first major loss of US troops in in the war. Eight months after the people of Islay had buried more than 200 Tuscania dead, the armed merchant cruiser Otranto collided with another troopship during a terrible storm. Despite a valiant rescue attempt by HMS Mounsay, the Otranto drifted towards Islay, hit a reef, throwing 600 men into the water. Just 19 survived; the rest were drowned or crushed by the wreckage.Based on the

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On 31 December 1918, His Majesty''s Yacht Iolaire sailed from Kyle of Lochalsh for Stornoway, bearing home to the Hebrides nearly 300 naval veterans of the Great War.She never made it. At two in the morning, the ship ran aground by the mouth of Stornoway harbour, and over 200 men drowned in what remains Britain''s biggest peacetime disaster at sea since the loss of the Titanic - devastating the Isle of Lewis and scarring a generation.Acclaimed journalist John MacLeod examines the events of that dreadful night and uncovers a story not only of official incompetence, error and neglect but also of individual heroism, and the resilience and faith of a remarkable people.

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The infamous Beeching Axe' swept away virtually every Scottish branch line in the 1960s. Conventional wisdom viewed these losses as regrettable yet inevitable in an era of growing affluence and rising car ownership.This ground-breaking study of Dr Beeching's approach to closures has unearthed from rarely or never previously referenced archive sources strong evidence of a stitch-up', ignoring the scope for sensible economies and improvements which would have allowed a significant number of axed routes to survive and prosper. Acclaimed railway historian David Spaven traces the birth, life and eventual death of Scotland's branch lines through the unique stories of how a dozen routes lost their trains in the 1960s: the lines to Ballachulish, Ballater, Callander, Crail, Crieff /Comrie, Fraserburgh, Kelso, Kilmacolm, Leven, Peebles, Peterhead and St Andrews.He concludes by exploring a potential renaissance of branch lines, propelled by concerns over road congestion, vehicle pollution and t

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In April 1923 the SS Metagama weighed anchor off Stornoway and set sail for Montreal. On board were three hundred young men and women bound for a new life in North America. Partly driven by the lure of opportunities overseas, these young Leosachs were also participants in the new government programme of state-aided emigration. Based on personal interviews with those who travelled to the New World on the Metagama and other ships, Jim Wilkie sets their story in the context of emigration in Lewis over the centuries, to produce a fascinating insight into one of the central events in the island’s history.

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Winner of Saltire Scottish History Book of the Year They would be better dead, they said, than set adrift upon the world. But set adrift they were - thousands of them, their communities destroyed, their homes demolished and burned. Such were the Sutherland Clearances, an extraordinary episode, involving the deliberate depopulation of much of a Scottish county. What was done in the course of that episode was planned and carried out by a small group of men and one woman. Most of those involved wrote a great deal about their actions, intentions and feelings, and much of it has been preserved. There are no equivalent collections of material from those whose communities ceased to exist. Their feelings and fears are harder to access, but they are by no means irrecoverable. In this book James Hunter tells the story of the Sutherland Clearances. His researches took him to archives in Scotland, England and Canada, to the now deserted straths of Sutherland, to the frozen shores of Hudson Bay. The result is a gripping, moving, definitive account of a people's struggle for survival in the face of tragedy and disaster which includes experiences which have not featured in any previous such account.

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In this evocative book Iain and Anne Fraser take the reader, both visitor and resident, on a personal journey through the centre of one of the world's most unforgettable cities. Working with four talented local artists (Irina Cucu, Cat Outram, Keli Clark and Catherine Stevenson) they reflect the character and cultural history of Edinburgh through 80 pages and 150 beautiful and original illustrations.Their narrative describes the split personality of Scotland's capital city, from the subdued sophistication of a dreich' February day to the flouncy and frivolous fun of the summer festival season. The dramatic character of Edinburgh and its history are world renowned. The authors highlight their favourite parts of the city centre and include a series of quirky stories discovered during their research gleaned from some of the many books written about the city.''Iain and Anne are just the guides you need for this tour. Their love for this city and their knowledge of its moods shine through .

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Scottish produce is celebrated the world over. The demand for game, for example, far exceeds what can be supplied, and Scottish cheeses surpass many from mainland Europe. In this book Claire Macdonald celebrates the very best of home-grown ingredients - from oatmeal, dairy produce, meat and fish, fruit and vegetables and even whisky - in 60 imaginative recipes for starters, main course and puddings, as well as for sauces, dressings, baking and other treats.Recipes include: Grilled goat''s cheese on stir-fried beetroot with orange and Balsamic vinegar Chocolate oatmeal biscuits Iced honey and whisky creams Herb crepes with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and diced cucumber Steam-baked cod with lentils, coriander and lime Venison fillet with green peppercorn, ginger and port sauce

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Nichola Fletcher has been a key champion of venison for over four decades and was awarded an MBE for services to the venison industry.In this book she gives fail-safe instructions for the different cooking methods (grilling, frying, roasting and slow-cooking) as well as discussing wild, farmed, red, fallow, roe and muntjac deer. Over 40 recipes show the enormous versatility of this low-fat meat, contrasting the traditional with exciting contemporary dishes like venison steaks with lime, fennel and honey, or Thai-spiced venison casserole. A much-requested section on what to serve with venison completes this imaginative introduction to one of the UK''s most popular speciality meats.

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Scotland''s National dish is the source of endless jokes and horror stories, yet continues to provoke curiosity around the world. With an ancient history and an eight-verse tribute penned by Robert Burns, haggis is a Scottish cultural icon. So how did it come to acquire its bad boy image and earn such mixed reviews, ranging from the devotion of its fans to the deep revulsion of the uninitiated?In this informative and light-hearted book, Jo Macsween of the famous family of Edinburgh haggis makers, expertly guides you through the myths and magic to a new realm of haggis appreciation that transcends neeps, tatties and Burns Night. Featuring fifty mouth-watering recipes, Jo rewrites the rules and demonstrates that haggis is a versatile ingredient that can be savoured at all times of day and throughout the year. She even dares to challenge the long-standing association of haggis with whisky, and recommends a new coterie of drinking companions.

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The classic Glasgow Memoir with a new introduction by Tom MortonThis is Clifford Hanley's vibrant, unsentimental and hilarious account of growing up in the 1920s and 30s, and his later working life as a radio broadcaster and journalist.His razor-sharp observations and anecdotes cover many topics, from family life, art and showbiz to politics, sex, TB and what it was like to be a conscientious objector during the Second World War. But even the most bittersweet stories are leavened with humour, and the irrepressible Glasgow spirit always shines through.''Hanley writes with consistent relish for his native city . . . captures Glasgow and its people nonchalantly and unfussily'' Ian Jack, The Guardian''Like a portal into a vanished Glasgow, but one where the city, its people their foibles, hopes, humour and warmth are instantly familiar'' Norry Wilson, Lost Glasgow

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Pebble the pony lives on a wild and lonely moor. He loves the holidaymakers who come up from the ton especially when they bring picnics and feed him their leftovers!One day, Pebble makes up his mind to see the town for himself, but when he gets there, he finds it's not such a wonderful place after all. He is rescued by an old lady, Miss Moss, who leads him safely back to the moor.Pebble often visits Miss Moss on her little farm and is a great help to her when she is unable to go shopping in the town. They soon become the best of friends.

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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:PrestonpansGlenfinnan The Isle of Lewis Edinburgh Inverlochy Tippermuir Mulroy Killiecr

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The Scots have always had a reputation for clarity of thought and also for the vigour with which it is put into words.This collection spans the entire gamut of a nation''s recorded thought and experience from Roman Scotland to the present day. It covers a vast range of subject matter and demonstrates a remarkable variety of moods and tones, from the literary to the colloquial and bawdy. Packed with sharp observation and humour, it sounds other notes too. Meditative, triumphant, tragic, accusing, tender - and often hilarious - it reveals the spirit of Scotland in a truly unique way.

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This notebook features a beautiful illustration of the iconic heron in its natural habitat. With cover illustrations by fine art printmaker Sarah Ross Thompson, this notebook contains blank paper, with head-and-tail bands.

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For over three centuries, the inhabitants of North Britain faced the might of Rome, resulting in some of the most extraordinary archaeology of the ancient world. This richly illustrated new history of Roman Scotland explores the complex, often tumultuous and frequently brutal interaction between the world's first superpower and the peoples who lived north of Hadrian's Wall. With reference to the latest research and featuring all the key sites, it offers though-provoking re-assessments of many aspects of the story of the Romans in Scotland, from the loss of the IXth Legion and the reasons for building and maintaining Hadrian's Wall, to considering what spurred at least four Roman emperors to personally visit the edge of the empire.

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Death is the inevitable fate of every single person on earth. How do we accept the inevitability of our own death? How do we live our lives with meaning? Will money lead us to happiness? Satish Modi examines these questions is a moving, powerful, thought-provoking work based on his own reflections as well as the experiences of people from all walks of life. The result is a fascinating book that teaches us that whoever we are and whatever our aspirations in this life, it is important for each and every one of us to accept our own passing. In doing so we can free ourselves to live as well and fully as possible, guided by the principles of goodness, love and compassion.

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Scotland has some of the best seafood in the world, so we why don’t we eat more of it? Why don’t we highlight the bounty of our seas and the people who fish, produce, sell, preserve and cook it? Acclaimed cooker writer Ghillie Basan embarks on a journey around Scotland’s coastline and over to the islands to capture the essence of our nation’s seafood through the stories of fisherman, farmers, artisan smokers and curers, boat builders and net makers, creels and shacks, skin tanners and age-old traditions. In addition, she offers 90 original recipes showcasing the wonderful produce she encounters on her journeys to all parts of the country. Features a foreword by Gary Maclean, winner of MasterChef: The Professionals

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Doug Scott was a legend among mountaineers. His expeditions, undertaken over a period of five decades, are unparalleled achievements. This book describes the extraordinary drama of them all, from the Himalaya to New Zealand, Patagonia, Yosemite and Alaska. It includes his famous ‘epic’ on The Ogre, one of the hardest peaks in the world to climb, his ascent of Kangchenjunga without supplementary oxygen and his ascent, with Dougal Haston, of Everest in 1975. Catherine Moorehead also uncovers the elusive man behind the obsessive mountaineer. From his rumbustious youth in Nottingham through two tempestuous marriages to a secure third marriage, she shows how Scott matured in thought and action as his formidable global reputation increased. In doing so she reveals him to be a clash of opposites, an infuriating monomaniac who took extraordinary risks yet who developed a deep interest in Buddhism and inspired widespread affection. Scott spent almost as long as his climbing career in founding and developing Community Action Nepal, providing schools and health posts in remote parts of Nepal, where he is still much revered. Doug Scott died in 2020.

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INCLUDES HUNDREDS OF NEW AND EXPANDED ENTRIES From ‘Aald Rock’ to ‘Zeenty-teenty’, A Dictionary of Scottish Phrase and Fable is an unputdownable gallimaufry of curious items embracing sayings, put-downs, insults, mottos, traditions, legends, folklore, customs, festivals, games, songs, dances, nicknames – and much, much more. This new edition features many expanded entries, as well as completely new ones – including Big Tam, the Third Forth Bridge, the Loony Dook and the War of the One-eyed Woman. The result is a kaleidoscopic snapshot of the Scottish nation, both past and present, from the mythical origins of the Scots in ancient Scythia to the foibles of modern Follyrood, from Sawney Bean to Oor Wullie, from ‘The end of an old song’ to ‘Aw fur coat and nae knickers’, from The Heart of Midlothian to ‘Ye cannae shove yer granny aff a bus’. In more than 4,500 such entries, A Dictionary of Scottish Phrase and Fable weaves an endlessly entertaining tapestry incorporating the texture and fabric of a nation’s ever-shifting sense of itself.

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The Small Isles comprise the Inner Hebridean islands of Rum, Eigg, Canna and Muck. The landscapes, rocks and fossils of these beautiful, remote islands tells of a drama involving erupting volcanoes, an ancient ecosystem that included dinosaurs and an ancient desert landscape. The geological history stretches back 3 billion years to the earliest events recorded on Earth. All four islands owe their origin to a group of three adjacent volcanoes that were active around 60 million years ago. Rum is the eroded remains of the magma chamber of one of these volcanoes. Eigg and Muck are part of the lava field that extends north from the Mull volcano and Canna lies towards the southern extent of the lavas that flowed from the Skye volcano. The final event that left a mark on these islands was the Ice Age that started around 2.4 million years ago. Its effect on the landscape was profound. The thick cover of erosive ice shaped the contours of the land into the hills and glens that we are familiar with today.

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Winner of the Saltire Society Fiction Book of the Year 'a beguiling mixture of poetry, moving prose and magical realism' - Stephen McGinty, The Sunday Times Jeda is a girl on the cusp of adulthood, living in Edinburgh; with a white father and a black mother, she feels self-conscious and out of place. Her feelings of alienation allow the stories of the shapeshifting Shadowman, who embodies all that is negative, to feed on her doubts and insecurities. The death of her mother, Rahami, gives the Shadowman an opportunity to control Jeda through her grief and his lies, but her mother’s last gift to her daughter was a box of stories. When the box is flung open, the stories escape, setting in motion an incredible journey. Jeda learns more about her African ancestry through tales of slavery, cruelty and colonisation, but she also discovers pride and love and sacrifice, ultimately embracing her dual heritage and her unique place in the world. Filled with tragedy, wonder and magic, Blood and Gold explores the themes of loss and oppression, while asking us to examine our own identities, attitudes, and humanity.

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Paul Murton journeys the length and breadth of the spectacularly beautiful Scottish Highlands. In addition to bringing a fresh eye to popular destinations such as Glencoe, Ben Nevis, Loch Ness and the Cairngorms, he also visits some remote and little-known locations hidden off the beaten track. Throughout his travels, Paul meets a host of modern Highlanders, from caber tossers and gamekeepers to lairds to pipers. With an instinct for the unusual, he uncovers some strange tales, myths and legends along the way: stories of Jacobites, clan warfare, murder and cattle rustling fill each chapter – as well as some hilarious anecdotes based on his extensive personal experience of a place he loves to call home.

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The Arbroath Smokie is one of Scotland's best loved traditional fish delicacies, taking its name from the small coastal town in the county of Angus it has been on the menu for a thousand years. Unlike its famous fishy relatives, Finnan Haddies and Loch Fyne kippers, which are cold-smoked and require cooking before heating, Arbroath Smokies are uniquely hot-smoked, making them ready to eat straight from the smoker. In this book, Iain R. Spink, whose family have been involved in this traditional way of cooking haddock for five generations, introduces the history of the Smokie and divulges the process involved in its preparation. He also explores its enormous versatility in 30 mouth-watering recipes for all occasions, from Arbroath Smokie and Leek Chowder, and Luxury Fish Pie to Tagliatelle with Creamy Lemon Smokie, and Arbroath Smokie and Spinach Gratin.

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When Mike Tomkies moved to a remote cottage on the shores of Loch Shiel in the West Highlands of Scotland, he found a place which was to provide him with the most profound wilderness experience of his life. Accessible only by boat, the cottage he renamed ‘Wildernesse’ was to be his home for many years, which he shared with his beloved German Shepherd, Moobli. Centred on different landscape elements – loch, woodlands and mountains –Tomkies describes the whole cycle of nature through the seasons in a harsh and testing environment of unrivalled beauty. Vivid colours and sounds fill the pages – exotic wild orchids, the roar of rutting stags, the territorial movements of foxes, otters and badgers, an oak tree being torn apart by hurricane-force gales. Nothing escapes his penetrating eye. His extraordinary insights into the wildlife that shared his otherwise empty territory were not gained without perseverance in the face of perilous hazards, and the difficulties and challenges of life in the wilderness are a key part of this remarkable book.

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The fifteen-year period between 1645 and 1660 was one of the most dynamic in British history, during which the republican Commonwealth and Cromwellian Protectorate attempted to create a new type of ‘Godly’ state after the execution of Charles I. Drawing on the latest research and established sources, as well as the works and diaries of contemporaries such as John Evelyn, Lucy Hutchinson and Samuel Pepys, A Sword for Christ offers a new and stimulating perspective on these extraordinary years. Key personalities such as Sir Thomas Fairfax, the Marquis of Argyll, Charles II and, of course, Oliver Cromwell himself – one of the most contentious figures in history – are re-appraised and brought vividly to life. In addition to exploring the religious and political debates which shaped the era and the military culture which defined it, the book also considers how society was profoundly affected by the upheaval caused by the civil wars; the relations between what was essentially an English republic and its Irish and Scottish neighbours; and the ethos of the New Model Army and the navy.

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It started and ended with a financial catastrophe. The Darien disaster of 1700 drove Scotland into union with England, but spawned the institutions which transformed Edinburgh into a global financial centre. The crash of 2008 wrecked the city’s two largest and oldest banks – and its reputation. In the three intervening centuries, Edinburgh became a hothouse of financial innovation, prudent banking, reliable insurance and smart investing. The face of the city changed too as money transformed it from medieval squalor to Georgian elegance. This is the story, not just of the institutions which were respected worldwide, but of the personalities too, such as the two hard-drinking Presbyterian ministers who founded the first actuarially-based pension fund; Sir Walter Scott, who faced financial ruin, but wrote his way out of it; the men who financed American railways and eastern rubber plantations with Scottish money; and Fred Goodwin, notorious CEO of RBS, who took the bank to be the biggest in the world, but crashed and burned in 2008.

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Brunch should evoke a sense of pleasure and relaxation – and perhaps also the temptation to try something new. Food writer and broadcaster Ghillie Basan offers 50 recipes in seven themed sections: brunch in a bowl, brunch with eggs, brunch on bread, baked potato brunch, sweet-tooth brunch and boozy brunch. Featuring Scottish ingredients in traditional recipes as well as imaginative combinations – from herring in oatmeal with creamy scrambled eggs and cranachan smoothie to pancetta scallops with Caesar salad bruschetta and bacon butties with honey gooseberries – this little book is the perfect inspiration for those days when time is more generous and food less rushed.

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'Deserves to sell like hot cakes' - Allan Massie, The Scotsman Shortlisted for the Saltire Society History Book of the Year From the Indian Mutiny to the London Blitz, offering a ‘nice cup of tea’ has been a stock British response to a crisis. But tea itself has a dramatic, and often violent, history. That history is inextricably interwoven with the story of Scotland. Scots were overwhelmingly responsible for the introduction and development of the UK’s national drink, and were the foremost pioneers in the development of tea as an international commodity. This book reveals how Darjeeling, Assam, Ceylon and Africa all owe their thriving tea industries to pioneering work by Scottish adventurers and entrepreneurs. It’s a dramatic tale. Many of these men jeopardised their lives to lay the foundation of the tea industry. Many Scots made fortunes – but it is a story with a dark side in which racism, the exploitation of native peoples and environmental devastation was the price paid for ‘a nice cup of tea’. Les Wilson brings the story right up to date, with a look at the recent development of tea plantations in Scottish hills and glens.

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Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize 2019 When Les and Chris Humphreys moved to Ardnamurchan 15 years ago, little did they realise they would be sharing their home with some of Britain’s most elusive and misunderstood mustelids. Amongst all the animals and birds that visit their garden, they have formed a special bond with numerous pine martens, and have studied them and a cast of other creatures at close range through direct observation and via sensor-operated cameras. Naturalist and photographer Polly Pullar has known the Humphreys and their pine martens for many years. In this book she tells the remarkable story of the couple and their animal friends, interpolating it with natural history, anecdote and her own experiences of the wildlife of the area. The result is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a much misunderstood animal and a passionate portrait of one of Scotland’s richest habitats – the oakwoods of Scotland’s Atlantic seaboard.

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Acclaimed cookery writer Claire Macdonald turns her attention to food for free in this selection of recipes using a huge variety of produce that can be found growing wild in fields, forests, hedgerows and along the seashore. Featuring blackcurrants, brambles, crabapples, dandelions, elderflower, funghi, hazelnuts, wild garlic, meadowsweet, nettles, sorrel, kelp, razorfish, mussels, and much more, Claire includes over 40 recipes for soups, mousses, salads, accompaniments, jams and jellies, cordials, cakes and biscuits as well as main courses and puddings.

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This is the story of Scotland as it's never been told before. From the 4th millennium BC, when the first Scot was expelled from Eden, right up to the 21st century, when US intelligence identified a distillery on Islay as a possible threat to world peace, Ian Crofton presents a host of little-known tales that you won't find in conventional history books. Packed with fascinating facts and extraordinary events, Scottish History Without the Boring Bits also includes some remarkable personalities, such as the duke who ate his own fingers, the poet who sought inspiration from a tooth, the vampire-hunting children of the Gorbals, and the MP accused of stealing his ex-mistress's knickers.

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This book is the essential companion for anyone exploring the new Fife Pilgrim Way, whether on foot, by car or bicycle or simply as an armchair traveller. Packed with history, vivid anecdote and nearly 100 colour illustrations, it brings to life the fascinating communities and the characters along the route in whose footsteps modern pilgrims are treading. Setting off with Celtic saints and St Margaret from Culross and North Queensferry, marching with miners through the West Fife coalfields, carrying on with Covenanters and Communists, and ending among the martyrs, relics and ghosts of the haunted city of St Andrews, this gripping narrative presents a journey through Scottish history, ancient and modern, with spiritual reflections along the way.

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In this exciting and visually stunning book, the most talented Scottish novelist of his generation teams up with Jill Calder, whose bold and colourful illustrations are a perfect complement to one of the most dramatic tales in Scottish history. In addition to the big set pieces from the Bruce story - not least of course the Battle of Bannockburn - and the other famous elements - such as the murder of the Red Comyn and Bruce and the spider - book is full of accurate historical detail and imaginative touches which offer a fresh and vital perspective on one of the great heroes of Scottish history.

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After joining the the Lovat Scouts at the outbreak of the Second World War Donald Angus Gillies is sent on a mission to the Alps, where he meets Francoise, a young French Canadian SOE agent. The pair immediately form a close bond, but when Francoise is injured and captured, DA realizes his feelings for her are much, much stronger. After desperate attempts to find her, he has given up all hope. But a posting to Canada leads to some remarkable news, not just about Francoise but also about his own family. Reunited once more, Donald Angus and Francoise plan to live together in his beloved Ardnish, but have one further mission to complete first – a mission more dangerous than anything they have ever faced before . . .

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Little Seal lives with his mother on an island with all the other seals. One day, during a big storm, he is swept away from the beach and carried by the tide far away from home. Confused and anxious, Little Seal begins the long journey home, listening out all the time for the call of the other seals.

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Marmalade is an iconic Scottish food, traditionally made every year in January and February when Seville oranges are available. Shirley Spear, whose multi-award-winning Three Chimneys restaurant on the Isle of Skye is a magnet for foodies, has written the ultimate guide to marmalade - not just to making it, but to using it as an ingredient all the year round in a delicious variety of dishes. The recipes here are both sweet and savoury, from Chocolate Marmalade Tart, Marmalade Ice Cream and Apple and Frangipane Tart with Marmalade Glaze, to Marmalade Sauce for Roast Duck, Glaze for Roast Gammon, use of Seville oranges in fish and shellfish dishes and Marmalade Chutney - and not forgetting the Three Chimneys' own legendary Hot Marmalade Pudding. Shirley mixes in fascinating information about how marmalade was invented, the great Scottish marmalade producers like Keiller and Robertsons, and even a link with Mary, Queen of Scots! This book will be the ideal Christmas stocking-filler for anyone interested in cooking, and an irresistible impulse-buy at any time of the year.

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The geology of the Cairngorms was created on a timeline that stretches back hundreds of millions of years. Much of the land is underlain by granite that formed deep within the Earth's crust and 'surfaced' as the overlying layers of rock were stripped away by ice, wind and water. The bedrock is hard, and although the area has been heavily glaciated, still boasts 18 Munros, the highest of Scotland's peaks. The area attracts climbers, walkers and assorted adventurers who want to pit themselves against some of the most challenging conditions to be found anywhere in the UK. The plants and animals of the Cairngorms need to be hardy to survive the severe winter conditions. The higher reaches of the mountains are rich in montane vegetation such as lichen-rich heath and other habitats support many rare species.

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Bear is one of the family. He goes everywhere with his young companions. Then one day, somehow, Bear is left behind at the seaside. As the sun goes down, the tide comes in, and Bear begins his great adventure. Find out how he gets home in this delightful story written and illustrated by one of Britain's favouite children's authors.

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Fisherman Sam McFinn moves into a little house by the sea with his dog, Jock. Nobody has lived there for a long time, but the house is home to lots of others - sheep, sparrows, rabbits, mice and a stray cat. What will happen to them when a human wants to live there too? They needn't worry, as all are welcome. Sam and Jock are soon used to their new home, and go out every day to catch fish. They also take people on a trip to Smuggler's Island. Join them as they head to the island and spot seals, seagulls, puffins and arrive at the Smuggler's Cave, where Sam tells them stories of pirates and treasure.

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This is the intimate and revealing autobiography of the late Margaret Rhodes, the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and the niece of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Margaret was born into the Scottish aristocracy, into a now almost vanished world of privilege. Royalty often came to stay and her house was run in the style of Downton Abbey. In the Second World War years she 'lodged' at Buckingham Palace while she worked for MI5. She was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousin, Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip. Three years later the King and Queen attended her own wedding; Princess Margaret was a bridesmaid. In 1990 she was appointed as a Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen Mother, acting also as her companion, which she describes in touching detail. In the early months of 2002, she spent as much time as possible with her ailing aunt, and was at her bedside when she died at Easter that year. The next morning she went to Queen Elizabeth's bedroom to pray, and in farewell dropped her a final curtsey.

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WINNER OF THE THE GUARDIAN FICTION OF THE YEAR AWARDONE OF THE LIST'S BEST SCOTTISH BOOKS OF ALL TIMESet in nineteen-sixties Glasgow, this novel portrays the struggles and conflicts of a young working-class hero and would-be novelist Mat Craig, whose desire to define himself as an artist creates social and family tensions.This classic of Scottish twentieth-century literature is renowned for its vivid descriptions of Glasgow and the fight for individual creative expression. It remains as authentic and relevant as it was more than fifty years after its original publication.Includes an Introduction by Alasdair Gray as well as Archie Hind's unfinished novel Fur Sadie and one of his essays Men of the Clyde'.*An exciting first novel worth a dozen more seasoned efforts' - GuardianThe best novel ever written' - SkinnyA touching insight into human strength and frailty' - Daily Mail

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The remote archipelago which lies off the north-west coast of Scotland boasts a huge range of contrasting and spectacular land- and seascapes. Lewis is austere, with a featureless peatland core, bounded by dramatic sea cliffs, whilst neighbouring Harris is extraordinarily rugged but fringed with stunning unspoilt beaches. The Uists are characterised by gentle fertile machair lands, and Barra has a more brutal landscape carved from ancient gnarled rock. But these islands have one thing in common: they were all built from the most ancient rocks in Britain – Lewisian gneiss, which reaches back almost to the beginning of geological time. In this book Alan McKirdy explores these islands, together with the volcanic rocks that build the outposts of Rockall, St Kilda and the Shiants, tracing their extraordinary journey through time and across the globe.

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Lucy Cruickshanks' novels have been shortlisted for the Author's Club Best First Novel Award and Guardian's Not The Booker Prize, named a Top Ten Book of the Year by The Bookbag, and featured widely in the press. A great fan of the underdog, she's drawn to people and places grappling with political instability, writing about societies at their most precarious and fraught with risk.You can find her chatting all things books on YouTube (Bookshanks) and on Twitter @LucyBookshanks.

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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.

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Alistair Moffat was born and bred in the Scottish Borders. A former Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Director of Programmes at Scottish Television and founder of the Borders Book Festival, he is also the author of a number of highly acclaimed books. From 2011 he was Rector of the University of St Andrews. He has written more than thirty books on Scottish history.

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