Posts Tagged ‘reviews’
Taking a look round a grave matter in Edinburgh
Across the centuries, countless notable (and less so) Scottish figures have been laid to rest in the capital. Golledge, a local historian, explores the individual history of sites such as St Cuthbert’s, Greyfriars Kirkyard and Old Calton Burial Ground, revealing both how losses were mourned and lives celebrated. An interesting insight into the connection between…
Read MoreThree women linked through time by prejudice
Anchored by the presence of the iconic Bass Rock, this novel by Evie Wyld is a catalogue of brutal male dominance, following the lives of three women separated by centuries but linked by prejudice. And while countless authors have written of female victims and male villains, Wyld’s thought-provoking plots separate this book from many others…
Read MoreThe man behind ‘think global, act local’ in focus
Author Patrick Stephen is incredibly well versed on the life of Patrick Geddes, the biologist, sociologist and town planner behind the ‘think global, act local’ concept. The author’s contention is that there’s much to learn from the sage, particularly with reference to the current climate emergency. Geddes, who would ‘see the problem and throw himself…
Read MoreA look at life on St Kilda without its people
Home to a small population until 1930, Alex Boyd offers a window onto how St Kilda has remained relatively untouched since its last inhabitants left. It gives a sense of how people would have lived and what’s being done to protect the site. Isle of Rust is a visual response to Jonathan Meades’ essay (included…
Read MoreMagic can be made with a host of cupboard cans
Trying to eat well while sticking to a modest budget isn’t easy and we often resort to the same handful of dishes again and again. What Jessica Elliot Dennison has put together here in Tin Can Magic is an ingenious catalogue of recipes which use up things that most people consistently stock in their cupboards.…
Read MoreCelebrating a forgotten Scotswoman artist
As with most female artists of her time, Mary Cameron’s name faded into relative obscurity following her death in 1921. Captivated by Spanish culture, Cameron created large scale compositions of traditional peasant life and dramatic bullfights. While providing a catalogue of her vibrant and evocative work with additional context, the book also gives an extremely…
Read MoreWhy does Portuguese wine taste so different?
Peter Ranscombe hits the trail to find out what makes Portugal’s wine so special. IT WASN’T the grapes that first brought Peter Bright to Portugal – it was the surfing. Winemakers seem to have an affinity for the waves, no matter whether they’re from California or South Africa or Australia. Bright’s first visit to Portugal…
Read MoreChardonnay showdown: Australia v New Zealand
Peter Ranscombe had a ring-side seat for this afternoon’s virtual clash between two chardonnay giants. IN THE red corner: all the way from the southern hemisphere, the undefeated heavyweight champion of chardonnay, it’s Australia. And in the blue corner, from the other side of the Tasman Sea, the upstart challenger looking to land a knock-out…
Read MoreThe horrors of war and the stories of two men
By using a rich collection of primary source material, author Gary Sheffield has woven a detailed picture of the lives of two men connected by both family ties and the horrors of war in In Haig’s Shadow. He shines a light on a story which has been entrenched in false truths and obscurity for many…
Read MoreLiving life to the Max in Dundee – a true story
Definitely not one for the faint-hearted, A Guide to Surviving Childhood is the story of a Dundee girl, Max, and her mum, Big Max. It’s laden with hilarious, explicit and more than a few non-PC anecdotes. Being from the City of Discovery myself, this book contains so many references that I completely relate to and…
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