Reviews
The capital’s courage and life during wartime
Edinburgh at War 1939-45 gives an in-depth glance into wartime Edinburgh, depicting the Second World War year by year. No one could escape war in Edinburgh and this book commemorates the workers and families torn apart and the people who survived the countless horrors the war yielded. This book is packed full of historical images…
Read MoreThe essential guide to fantastic gins
We are in the middle of a gin craze – hardly a week goes by without the release of a new brand or artisanal distillery and serious gin bars are stocking well over 300 brands. But how do you choose? Is Edinburgh Gin a style, or just a name? Can a rose-flower and cucumber infusion…
Read MoreA life on the hills after rejecting city life
In the early 1990s, Jonny Turnbull packed in his job and bought the 7,500 acre Strone Estate in Argyll. Now, having passed it on to his son, he’s written about the experience. A ‘magical kingdom’, Strone now boasts woodlands, and more red and roe deer. This fascinating account details what Turnbull learnt along the way,…
Read MoreShining a light on Scotland’s lighthouses
Scotland has an especially rich lighthouse tradition, mainly due to a dynasty of Stevenson engineers covering over a century. All of them had a profound understanding of weather and geology. This fine illustrated book highlights the contribution made by lighthouse keepers to the study of natural history. A Natural History of Lighthouse, by John A…
Read MoreSo much to see in these 20 recommended walks
Raasay, with its rocky coastlines, dense forests and beautiful lochs, is a paradise for walkers. The twenty routes in this illustrated guide, Exploring Raasay, explore the spectacular scenery of this special island. Following tracks through forests, along coastlines and up to the summits of Dun Caan, walkers can enjoy some of the best views available…
Read MoreBuses in the highlands take centre stage
O’er Highland Highways covers the operation of the highly valued bus and coach services of David MacBrayne from 1906 to 1972. It also includes the histories of the twenty operators acquired during this time. The story is accompanied by many historical pictures, giving the reader a fascinating insight into MacBrayne’s buses and his company in…
Read MoreFictional murder at the 1927 St Andrews Open
We travel back in time almost 100 years ago for this murder mystery on a Scottish golf course. When Sheriff Hector Drummond’s gardener’s son is murdered, it’s personal. Is one of the world’s top golfers a child-killer? Favourite to win the Open crown, Bobby Jones arrives in St Andrews, but can he win the hearts…
Read MoreStepping back in time in a historical murder novel
A brutal triple murder in a remote crofting community in 1869, when three people were slayed in Culduie, leads to the arrest of Roderick Macrae in His Bloody Project. With only the powers of his advocate standing between Macrae and the gallows, it falls to the country’s fi nest legal and psychiatric minds to uncover…
Read MoreChildren’s book shows money isn’t everything
The Lavender Blue Dress is the first children’s book from acclaimed musician and songwriter Aidan Moffat, with beautiful illustrations by Emmeline Pidgen. This is the heart-warming story of Mabel. With the school Christmas ball coming up, everyone is getting a new outfit, except Mabel, who knows her parents can’t afford to splash out. But with…
Read MoreThis whisky celebration is a labour of love
The Scotch Whisky Treasures is a beautifully produced history of whisky distillation. Written by Scotsman Tom Bruce-Gardyn, who considers it a blessing to have grown up with Scotch whisky, he guides you through our most celebrated whisky regions, from Speyside to the Highlands and Western Isles. Award-winning drinks journalist and author Bruce-Gardyne’s passion for the…
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