Posts Tagged ‘reviews’
Another success for Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander McCall Smith, the most prolific British author since Barbara Cartland (who penned 720 novels), returns to his hugely popular 44 Scotland Street series. This is the fourteenth novel set in Edinburgh’s most famous fictional location. With its vividly surreal cast of outlandish characters – including ‘aphorism-coining socialite nun’ Sister Maria, and ‘chino-wearing narcissist’ Bruce…
Read MoreMacCloud falls is an absorbing and pleasant read
Scottish antiquarian Gilbert travels to British Columbia to research an early settler he believes may have been his runaway grandfather. Here, he strikes up an unexpected connection with a woman he meets on the plane. Beautifully descriptive and almost lyrical in parts, I was transfixed by the vibrant scenery. If you like short, punchy chapters…
Read MoreAldi: Toasting reliable fizzy favourites
Peter Ranscombe salutes Aldi for the consistency of its sparkling wines. SUPERMARKET shopping is – let’s face it – boring. Don your face covering and trudge down the same aisles, week after week, month after month. Pick up the same milk, the same bread, the same giant bag of crisps that you promise yourself will…
Read MoreThe incredible life of Scottish icon Stanley Baxter
This authorised biography has generated headlines because in it 95-year-old Stanley Baxter comes out as gay, yet there is so much more to this account of the actor’s life than that revelation. This jauntily-written book is a veritable treasure trove of anecdotes that shine a light on one of Scotland’s most beloved, yet most enigmatic,…
Read MoreIt’s a dog’s life with internet sensation Labradors
The moment this book, Olive, Mabel & Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs landed on the desk, there were gasps of excitement. Written by one of the most recognisable voices in sports broadcasting, Andrew Cotter tells of his adventures with his two faithful Labradors, Olive and Mabel, who became internet sensations during…
Read MoreVikings, huge crustaceans and a helpful seagull
The basis of A Large Measure of Snow is that in December 1967, with all roads to the town of Kinloch cut off by snow, its fishing fleet sets off for Girvan in search of food. On board one boat, the Girl Maggie, is first mate Hamish, who has – to everyone’s amazement – been…
Read MoreSauvignon blanc day: 9 to try
To mark international sauvignon blanc day, Peter Ranscombe reviews examples from Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa. TIME after time, sauvignon blanc keeps topping the charts as the UK’s favourite white wine. Just before the pandemic, Majestic Wine was the latest retailer to shine a light on the grape’s phenomenal success. Sauvignon was its best-selling…
Read MoreHearts that vie for the hearts and soul of Scotland
In the last instalment of a weighty trilogy that attempts to give John Knox a Hilary Mantel-style makeover, we see the Protestant firebrand return to a Scotland that in 1559 was on the brink of civil war. Back in Edinburgh, Knox immediately does battle with Mary, Queen of Scots, who is seeking to claim the…
Read MoreThe story of the woman behind Peter Rabbit
The story of the creator of Peter Rabbit is an interesting one that says much about the unquenchable creative spirit of a sad little girl who, in the absence of anyone else to educate her, did it herself. Cohen’s book examines Potter’s summers, which were spent on the Dalguise Estate near Dunkeld, where she developed…
Read MoreWeaving fact and fiction to create a thrilling read
Delving more into historical fiction, The King’s Beast: A Mystery of the American Revolution weaves facts and fiction seamlessly. We journey across the Atlantic with Duncan McCallum as he is tasked with retrieving and protecting ancient bones unearthed in America, while mystery and murder ensue all round him. Beautifully immersive, Eliot Pattison has a way…
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