Posts Tagged ‘reviews’
Vikings, 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…
Read MoreCelebrating love and friendship in poetic verse
Alexander McCall devoted a recent column in Scottish Field to to the joys of poetry (especially Auden, who he reveres). This collection, which examines the themes of friendship and love, is a joyous affirmation of his infatuation with the form. Delivered in his trademark genial, conversational style, this accessible and highly enjoyable collection is divided…
Read MoreA third celebration of powerful Scottish women
Mairi Kidd dedicates a third of her book to powerful Scottish women (the remainder to Irish and Welsh equivalents) whose tales have been overlooked or banished to the footnotes of historic literature. It is hard to look beyond the underlying politics of the narrative – with a strong focus on the fight for gender equality…
Read MoreA celebration and history of Scottish art and artists
Have you ever wondered about the backstory of James Guthrie’s ‘To Pastures New’ painting? Or indeed the tale of Henry Raeburn? Here to fill the art history void in our lives is Lachlan Goudie with this wonderful snapshot of Scottish art through the centuries – a comprehensive account of the nation’s creative history that caters…
Read More7 of the best rosés for your bank holiday weekend
If you’re looking for rosés ahead of the May Day bank holiday then Peter Ranscombe has you covered. IS IT really a year since our #stayathome review of rosés? While I’m not counting my sunshine-flapping chickens just yet – especially not for the bank holiday itself – there’s definitely more optimism in the air as…
Read MoreThrills in a 1970s-set piece of tartan noir
Follow detective Harry McCoy as his hunches lead him across a Glasgow landscape rife with drugs and violence, in search of answers. As any good piece of tartan noir should, it introduces you to a slew of questionable characters who definitely muddy the waters between good and evil, although in 1970s Glasgow maybe this was…
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