Posts Tagged ‘review’
Exploring the cultural history of the Highlands
Disturbed by tales of wild beasts, harsh geography and the bloody conflicts of warring clans, few travellers ventured to the Scottish Highlands until after the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie at the Battle of Culloden. The influence of the clans was curbed and the Highlands became celebrated by poets, writers and artists for their beauty…
Read MoreA party problem will make the wee ones smile
Mac and Bob and the Party Problem is a colourful and imaginative children’s book which is a fun read for little ones who appreciate the illustrations and medium-sized ones who love the tale. Even Mummy can relate to the plot, which sees Mac invited to a party only to realise that he has nothing to…
Read MoreFinding the greater truth in a fascinating book
Jellyfish is a sparkling and powerful collection of writing. Janice Galloway takes on David Lodge’s assertion – ‘Literature is mostly about having sex and not much about having children; life’s the other way round’ – and scent-marks her multi-layered fiction with what she believes to be the greater truth. Razor sharp tales of two of…
Read MoreLifting the lid on the very best of Tartan Noir
What is Tartan Noir? Which authors belong to this global crime fiction phenomenon? Which books should you read first, next, again, or not at all? Len Wanner investigates the genre’s four main sub-genres – the detective, the police, the serial killer, and the noir novel. Covering four decades of literary history, he provides close readings…
Read MoreA Scottish family bus business that grew and fell
The McKindless Group by David Devoy is the story of a family business which got out of its depth. The McKindless bus company started off as a small operation of a few buses, a lorry and two coaches in 1987. After providing mostly school contracts and private hires, the company began to venture into local…
Read MoreThe rise and sad fall of the Strathtay Bus Group
Strathtay Scottish Buses by David Devoy is an interesting tale of expansion, contraction, and ultimately the oblivion of the group. Strathtay Scottish was a product of the state-owned Scottish Bus Group’s attempts to prepare for deregulation and possible privatisation in the mid-1980s. Eventually, after being taken over by several different entities which culminated in the…
Read MoreWriting TV drama was a Guilt-free pleasure for Neil
New Scottish TV thriller Guilt continues on BBC Scotland. The four part series, with a black humour, tells the story of Jake (Jamie Sives) and Max (Mark Bonnar), who two brothers who accidentally kill a man. They try to hide their mistake by placing the dead man in his home – but after Jake left…
Read MoreScotland’s chocolate features in new guidebook
When asked about Britain’s chocolate output, you would be forgiven if you immediately thought of chocolate bars wrapped in iconic purple packaging, the compulsory Christmas selection boxes, or the legendary chocolate orange. However, Andrew Baker’s ‘A Chocolate Lover’s Guide to Britain’ reveals that the British chocolate industry is so much more than these much-loved, mass…
Read MoreA train of thought in turning back the clock
Industrial Locomotives & Railways of Scotland is the ninth volume of the ten-part series of regional books examining the industrial railways of England, Scotland and Wales. Gordon Edgar uses previously unpublished photographs accompanied by detailed captions to reflect on the changing face of the Scottish railway industry over the last six decades. The diversity of…
Read MoreA fascinating look at Edinburgh’s proud military past
Today, Edinburgh Castle is primarily admired by tourists and locals for the drama it adds to the landscape of our capital. Although a stroll down Princes Street on a (rare) sunny day might give the wanderer an appreciation of the castle’s aesthetic beauty, its historical importance to the defence of the city through the centuries…
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