Posts Tagged ‘book review’
Book review: The Battle of Killiecrankie 1689
While the Battle of Culloden is quite clearly ingrained in many minds, one of the first great battles in the quest for Scottish independence is not quite as well known, despite being the most dramatic episode of the Jacobite risings. Author Stuart Reid sheds light on the events of the violent Battle of Killiecrankie in…
Read MoreBook review: Walk This Way
It’s difficult not to smile all the way through this banter-filled travel book, Walk This Way: Hills, Thrills and Headaches on Scotland’s Trails. Walk this Way is an entertaining journey through not just one, but three of the most renowned long-distance paths in Scotland, seen through the eyes of newly-converted walker Gary Sutherland. Fighting against his deepest…
Read MoreBook review – Septimius Severus in Scotland
Archeologist Simon Elliott’s romp through the history of Roman Scotland is a hugely enjoyable read. Elliott focuses on Emperor Septimius Severus, who in 208AD led his army of 40,000 men north of Hadrian’s Wall, marching north to take the Antonine Wall and then reoccupying many forts built by Agricola over 100 years earlier following the…
Read MoreBook review: Roald Dahl’s Reekin Rhymes
What’s the story? In recent years, many children’s books have been getting rather special makeovers, taking them and translating them into Scots. For example, Roald Dahl’s The Twits became the Eejits, while JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book became The Philosopher’s Stane). The entertaining trend continues with Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes, becoming Reekin Rhymes. Dahl…
Read MoreBook review: Spey Flies – How To Tie Them
Veteran fly fisherman and expert fly tier Bob Veverka offers perhaps the most extensive book yet on Spey flies. Putting all he’s learned down on paper, he includes how-to-cast guides complete with step-by-step photos and informative paragraphs on the different Spey patterns and colours. A must-have for any fly fishing enthusiast, the level of detail…
Read MoreBook review – 25 Years of the Ayrshire Road Run
What’s the story? Back in 1993, the Ayrshire Road Run was created as an adjunct to the established annual vintage rally organised by the Ayrshire Vintage Tractor & Machinery Club (AVT&MC). The idea was to promote the rally by running entered commercial vehicles around the major towns in Ayrshire. Over the following years the Road…
Read MoreBook review – Scotland’s Independent Coach Operators
What’s the story? As with everything, the coach industry has changed beyond all recognition over the last few decades. In this beautifully illustrated book, packed full of photos from the past few decades, author David Devoy has created an interesting history of the independent coach operating business in Scotland. It may sound like a dry…
Read MoreBook review – The A-Z of Edinburgh
Part of Amberley’s A-Z series, A-Z of Edinburgh offers a well-rounded look into Scotland’s capital through succinct, informative pieces on its monuments, various locations, and remarkable people. Lisa Sibbald’s alphabetical selection, with Sean Connery, Dolly the Sheep, and Arthur Conan Doyle next to one another, makes for an interesting read. A treat for anyone looking to…
Read MoreBook review – 1824: The World’s First Football Club
Queen’s Park Football Club are acknowledged as Scotland’s oldest football club, having been founded in 1867. But Hampden Park’s finest weren’t the first team in the land. The Foot-Ball Club which was formed in Edinburgh in 1824, the world’s first known organisation dedicated to football. It was founded by John Hope, a student lawyer, and…
Read MoreBook review – The 21 Escapes of Lt Alastair Cram
David M Guss has written the barely believable story of Alastair Cram, a Scottish prisoner of war who attempted a record 21 prison escapes during the Second World War. And it is as gripping as it is inspiring. Described by his widow Isobel as a private and reserved man, Cram wrote about his experiences in…
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