Reviews
An adventurous tale to appeal to early teens
Using Smailholm’s natural beauty as the backdrop to a secret, magical world, Williams’ 16th-century tale is full of imagination. Wynn, daughter of Laird and Lady Hoppringle, uncovers a miniature world unfurling beneath the brambles at Smailholm Tower – a scene reminiscent of The Borrowers and Alice in Wonderland – and works to break the curse…
Read MoreThe man behind ‘think global, act local’ in focus
Author Patrick Stephen is incredibly well versed on the life of Patrick Geddes, the biologist, sociologist and town planner behind the ‘think global, act local’ concept. The author’s contention is that there’s much to learn from the sage, particularly with reference to the current climate emergency. Geddes, who would ‘see the problem and throw himself…
Read MoreSeparating Robert the Bruce facts from the fiction
Few figures from Scotland’s history have captivated so many generations, across both Scotland and the world, as Robert The Bruce. In Stephen Spinks’ book, Robert The Bruce: Champion of a Nation, he tries to distinguish facts from the myths and legends which have grown over the centuries. Spinks creates a detailed picture of the context…
Read MoreA crime thriller that will grip you from page one
By the fifth line of Dugald Bruce-Lockhart’s debut novel, I was totally invested in the plot of The Lizard. Lulled into thinking the protagonist a relatable character – he is a student from the University of St Andrews suffering from an aching heart – Alistair Haston is a seemingly ordinary young man seeking to win…
Read MoreA look at life on St Kilda without its people
Home to a small population until 1930, Alex Boyd offers a window onto how St Kilda has remained relatively untouched since its last inhabitants left. It gives a sense of how people would have lived and what’s being done to protect the site. Isle of Rust is a visual response to Jonathan Meades’ essay (included…
Read MoreThe horrors of war and the stories of two men
By using a rich collection of primary source material, author Gary Sheffield has woven a detailed picture of the lives of two men connected by both family ties and the horrors of war in In Haig’s Shadow. He shines a light on a story which has been entrenched in false truths and obscurity for many…
Read MoreLiving life to the Max in Dundee – a true story
Definitely not one for the faint-hearted, A Guide to Surviving Childhood is the story of a Dundee girl, Max, and her mum, Big Max. It’s laden with hilarious, explicit and more than a few non-PC anecdotes. Being from the City of Discovery myself, this book contains so many references that I completely relate to and…
Read MoreAn honest memoir of two complex relationships
In this posthumous memoir following her death in October 2019, Deborah Orr explores the deeply complex relationship she had with both her home town of Motherwell and her mother. Orr was an award-winning journalist renowned for her unapologetic and candid column writing through which she gained a loyal following across the newspapers she worked for.…
Read MoreA sporting memoir with nostalgia and warmth
I’ve been a bit of a rugby fan for years and despite not understanding 50% of the laws, the atmosphere and enthusiasm of both the crowd and the players is more than enough to keep me engaged. This book is the story of one former Scottish rugby player, Ian Smith, who describes a period when…
Read MoreA celebration of Scotland’s monuments
Many of us walk or drive past the same monuments or memorials every single day. But how much, if anything, do we really know about the people behind them? At first glance I wasn’t sure how exciting Scotland Remembered would prove to be. Meighan has put together an extensive list of the monuments and memorials…
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