Reviews
An interesting guide to Scotland and the Scots
This entry in Winn’s ‘I never knew that’ series sees the author take a tour around Scotland detailing the people that have made this great land what it is. Various luminaries are detailed alongside their achievements and legacies. He also focuses on various well-known families and we learn of notable members of these clans and…
Read MoreChanging face of life at the turn of 20th century
From Land to Rail is the memoirs of Andrew Ramage, who worked as a farm servant, dock worker, lorry driver and railwayman during the period 1854 -1917. This fascinating diary-style account of life in the Lothians and Berwickshire sheds light on the trials faced by those working and living in a rural setting. Ramage was…
Read MoreDead Girl Walking presents a new thrilling mystery
Dead Girl Walking sees the long-awaited return of Jack Parlabane. Christopher Brookmyre’s ex-journalist protagonist has fallen from grace and has an investigative job looking for the missing lead singer of a pop group. Brookmyre writes convincingly from both the perspective of Parlabane and Monica (the violinist in the group). The plot is thrilling, tense and…
Read MoreA fun tale that will keep the children amused
Still living under the impression that haggis has something to do with a sheep’s stomach? It is Christmas Eve and Acre Valley is in a state of turmoil. Not only have Horace’s woodland friends been abducted from their homes but Angus McPhee is on the hunt for a spicy Christmas starter. Horace the Haggis and…
Read MoreThe Tobermory Cat is a fun story for children
The Tobermory Cat is the enduring tale of one feline’s quest to fill his empty stomach. Illustration is vivid, with a charming rusticity and acres of pastel illustrations. Besides its educational value, which will help younger readers to become more familiar with counting from one to ten, Gliori’s story is faithful to her setting: full…
Read MoreA cookbook interspersed with classic comics
The Sunday Post’s favourite matriarch, Maw Broon, brings us a pleasing compilation of family-orientated bakes to suit any occasion. Interspersed with favourite comic scenes from 10 Glebe Street, these recipes are perfect for those wanting to master the basics and reacquaint themselves with enduring Scottish classics like the delicious Selkirk Bannock or Empire Biscuit. Bake With Maw Broon, published by DC Thomson, £14.99. [review rating=”3″ align…
Read MoreAn analysis of the 2014 independence referendum
This is a close commentary on the Scottish Independence referendum from widely acclaimed journalist and Alex Salmond biographer David Torrance. The diary provides an inside perspective on the fraught 100 days leading up to 18 September 2014. As Torrance bikes around Edinburgh on his beloved bike he interviews politicians and ordinary voters. It’s all in…
Read MoreA handy guide to Scotland’s spiritual background
The Traveller’s Guide to Sacred Scotland is a user-friendly guide to early Scottish settlements: from the Neolithic Age of cupmarked stones to the tired remains of the 16th century, when religious institutions fell victim to the violent throes of the Reformation. Marianna Lines also examines Scotland’s geographical idiosyncrasies in the context of inherited folk tales…
Read MoreThere’s been a murder – on the very first page
Murder on Page One lives up to its title. Straightaway the reader is engulfed in a bloody murder, as Lorraine McNeill, a literary agent is found dead. A serial killer is on the loose. Short scenes are interspersed with some feisty badinage between DI Noel Osborne, a piggish throwback heading towards an early retirement, and…
Read MoreA history of the Borders – delivered on foot
In compelling study Walking The Border, Ian Crofton documents his trek along the Anglo-Scottish Border, on foot or by train, digging deep into historical archives and listening to the stories of those along the way. In a larger sense, Crofton calls into question the borders which encircle us, restrict us, define us in a world…
Read More