Posts Tagged ‘review’
Celebrating the best spots for wild swimming
Swimmers of all backgrounds share their experiences and recommendations amongst the seas, burns, rivers and over 30,000 lochs in Scotland. A guide that not only shows you the best spots to sink into but also the tips, safety, etiquette and responsibility that should come hand-in-hand with wild swimming. A great gift for those bobble-hat-wearing swimmers…
Read MoreA look at Scotland’s work on nature restoration
A new report examines what lessons can be learned from large-scale nature restoration and rewilding projects in Scotland and beyond. With increased attention on these approaches as a solution to the twin crises of nature loss and climate change, the NatureScot report reviews 25 case studies from Scotland and further afield across Europe to highlight…
Read MoreA bygone Scotland captured in photography
This is a concise paperback edition of the bestselling Scottish photographic book. In the early 1960s, in the course of recording a Dunfermline mill building that was scheduled for demolition, RCAHMS surveyors discovered an incredible collection of over 800 glass plate negatives. Taken between 1880 and 1919, the photographs are a remarkable record of a…
Read MoreAn alternative look at Highland land reform
Prominent land reformer Jim Hunter has produced a compelling account of the modern-day Highlands. Here, there is a battle between environmentalists’ attempts to conserve the nature and landscapes, and the Highlanders themselves trying to preserve their way of life and their culture. This thought-provoking read considers both viewpoints: the Highlanders feel they have a better…
Read MoreAn immersive history on the creation of Scotland
‘The story of a “crucible of nations” is not of any single people, much less a modern nation-state. It’s about shared heritage and interaction, without ignoring these different voices.’ On one of Edinburgh’s many, many dreich days, there is nowhere better to be than rambling through the extensive collections on display at the National Museum…
Read MoreMyths and legends from Scotland put in focus
One of my favourite features of mythology and folk tales is the ability to pinpoint the land that they originate from by examining the geography, history and local customs to be found in each piece. Angus, an underrated region of Scotland in my very humble opinion, is put on display through tales of wolves and…
Read MoreA true celebration of Scottish mountaineering
Subtitled ‘A Celebration of Scottish Mountaineering’, The Great Mountain Crags of Scotland is a huge guide to the greatest crags in Scotland revolves around some stunning photography. This, along with the first-hand experiences of some of Scotland’s greatest mountaineers and detailed descriptions of the places and possible routes to take, make this excellent book a…
Read MoreAn insight into changing Scotland in the 1700s
Scotland’s greatest historical controversialist brings us an engaging and very readable examination of the exemplary yet volatile political, economic and cultural landscape of 18th century Scotland. Among the many subjects the ever-provocative Michael Fry examines is the gradual, and often painful, evolution of a feudal land that shook up every facet of society, detailing how…
Read MoreThe Heretic is a gripping read from start to end
The prequel to The Heretic, Liam McIlvanney’s The Quaker, earned him ‘The Scottish Crime Book of the Year’ prize. I’ve little doubt this will do just as well. It has all the ingredients for a classic piece of crime fiction: a dark, gritty plot, authentic characters and an unpredictable ending. Set in Scotland’s Dear Green…
Read MoreDelight as novel wins New Zealand Booklovers Award
A Scots-based writer’s first historical thriller has won the New Zealand Booklovers Award for Best Adult Fiction Book 2022. Written by Kiwi-born David Bishop, who has lived in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, for more than 20 years, City of Vengeance took the prize at the awards, which were announced last week. Writing as D.V. Bishop, the…
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