Reviews
Scottish folk tales from the best storytellers
Just looking at the cover of this book makes me want to curl up with a mug of something hot and dive into all the tales it has to tell. Put together by Scotland’s Storytellers and The History Press, this collection includes legends from all over the country, with each chapter signalling a change of…
Read MoreWar through the eyes of a Scottish conscript
The Adventures of a Highland Soldier, 1808-1814 reveals how the Peninsular War was seen through the eyes of an ordinary Scottish conscript. Few men from the 71st Highland Light Infantry who sailed with Wellington to Portugal returned six years later. The new rendition of this honest tale, edited by Paul Cowan, includes little-known diary entries…
Read MoreThe perfect book for the Scottish film buff
The evolution of Scottish film culture resides in industrial, creative and critical changes since the 1970s. Reconsidering well-known films, such as The Last King of Scotland, as well as uncovering the overlooked, this refreshingly readable, if surprisingly expensive, book explores the diversity of Scottish culture portrayed in film. An essential for any student of British…
Read MoreThe perfect book for the deer stalker
Ingeniously combining facts, trivia, advice and personal observation with fictional short stories, this is the perfect book for every deer stalking enthusiast. Covering everything from recipes to stalking techniques this book will surprise even the most well-versed deer aficionado while being easy going enough for the newly enthused novice. The Deerstalker’s Bedside Book, by Charles Smith-Jones,…
Read MoreA taste of Scotland from Usquabae
I was kindly invited to Usquabae Whisky Bar & Larder by Frida Jarlsby to indulge in a candlelit dinner in the West End of Edinburgh. And who better to share it with than Greg Urquhart from Gleann Mor Spirits Company. Having heard a lot about their pairing menu, I couldn’t wait to sit down to…
Read MoreEmbrace the darkness with Britain at night
Dixe Wills embraces the darkness that is brought at sun-down by exploring Britain and sharing his thoughtful, and often riveting, experiences after sunset. From seeking supernatural thrills in the fables of mythical creatures to encountering the natural nocturnal habits of some of Scotland’s most spectacular wildlife, Dixe illuminates the darkness and invites us to join…
Read MoreMeeting Robert Louis Stevenson is in the timing
Featuring in his third book, Tom Afflick is Philip Caveney’s time-travelling adventurer and this time he meets famous author Robert Louis Stevenson. Can Tom persuade him to publish Treasure Island or will the Plague Doctor succeed in thwarting him? Caveney has succeeded in telling Tom’s most dangerous story yet and readers will be on the…
Read MoreCelebrating the nation’s micro-distilleries
Distillation is a sort of magic that involves taking humble grains and turning them into wonderfully intoxicating spirits. Industrialisation has sucked the magic from the trade but the micro-distiller exists to keep the dream alive. This book explores 75 artisan micro-distilleries – their history, where you can buy their produce and, most importantly, what it…
Read MoreCelebrating the Gaelic experience
A forgotten and marginalised culture, the Gaelic experience is exposed as it was, is and all it might be. Written in both English and Gaelic, Shore to Shore, is an anthology of Gaelic raps, secular poems and aphorisms artistically and vividly bringing the Gaelic world to life. Descendants of Gaels now reside in every corner…
Read MoreA historical novel that’s so intense it feels real
Rosemary Goring’s powerful sequel to her critically acclaimed debut After Flodden is set in the tumultuous borderlands of Scotland and England. Dacre’s War is a story of personal and political vengeance at the heart of the power struggle. It has been a decade since the battle at Flodden and the unrest is rife in the…
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