Books
The 15th Aye Write Book Festival to open in Glasgow
Some of the world’s most influential authors are heading to Glasgow. The 15th Aye Write book festival opens at the Mitchell Library tomorrow (Thursday, March 12) and for more than a fortnight, the city centre will be abuzz with book-related readings, talks and discussions. Top Scottish novelists such as Val McDermid and Christopher Brookmyre, plus…
Read MoreA third serving of some delicious recipes
The Lady Laird of Ballindalloch had no intention of serving up third helpings of homemade recipes, but I am thrilled she did. This instalment is packed with delectable ideas, and includes a special nod to the country’s exceptional game. As a pudding fiend, I’m taking note of her banana, orange and passion fruit soufflé which…
Read MoreAuthors Live celebrates with 10th birthday bash
Poet Michael Rosen returned to BBC Scotland to help celebrate 10 years of the popular children’s reading project, Authors Live. Hosted by BBC Scotland in partnership with Scottish Book Trust, Authors Live – which sees well known writers give readings and advice to school pupils – has now delivered 79 author broadcasts to more than…
Read MoreHow to trace your Scottish roots and ancestry
Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church & State Records is a thorough guide to Scotland’s genealogical landscape and is a useful tool for researchers of the diaspora to have at hand. Paton examines common records used by family historians, including censuses, tax records and registers of land ownership. A basic knowledge of the legal system…
Read MoreWalter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction longlist
The Walter Scott Prizen for Historical Fiction has announced its 2020 longlist, along with the appointment of a new chair of judges. Katie Grant, who has been on the judging panel since 2017, succeeds Alistair Moffat, who has stepped down as chair after 10 years. The 12 books in contention for the £25,000 prize are:…
Read MoreOvercoming her grief in the mountains
This beautifully candid memoir follows the life of Munroist, Sarah Jane Douglas, and her battle with grief. After losing her mother to cancer, Douglas finds solace in climbing Scotland’s forbidding mountains. A heart-wrenching read, it is testament to the cathartic nature of the wilderness. True stories do not always see the ‘happily ever after’ ending,…
Read MoreBooks explores Sir Walter Scott’s love of fishing
While on a tour of Scott’s glorious Abbotsford, Keith Harwood stumbled on the first hint of the writer’s life beyond poetry and literature, finding upon his hand-painted wallpaper the figure of an angler. In this book Harwood explores Scott’s love of fishing, detailing beautifully how he first caught the angling bug, and how it played…
Read MoreA celebration of all 282 Scottish Munros
The result of a labour of love – and many long walks and aching legs – this colourful compendium maps all 282 Munros in all their glory. Published to mark the centenary of the death of Sir Hugh Munro, this reference book serves as the ideal starting point for any aspiring hill-walker or self-confessed Munro…
Read MoreA Scots crime thriller packed full of suspense
Set in the familiar backdrop of bonnie Scotland, Mark Douglas-Home has ingeniously tapped into the country’s intrinsic qualities to create a crime novel full of suspense. The journalist turned author juxtaposes the hustle of Edinburgh city centre with the eerily quiet hills of the Highlands, cleverly setting the perfect scene for crimes to be committed,…
Read MoreWriter Val McDermid shares her favourite locations
To mark World Book Day, bestselling Scots author Val McDermid is taking readers to her favourite locations from her books in a new video. Last year, the number one seller released a book, My Scotland, which takes readers to the landscapes she has known all her life, and the places where her stories and characters…
Read More