Posts Tagged ‘reviews’
Protecting the world from the Fae
Seeking to protect the world from the Fae, Scottish sigil agent Aloysius MacBharrais is eccentric. As a sexagenarian he is a welcome change from the tormented teenage protagonists that dominate fantasy genres. However, Hearne admits in the author’s note that he struggled with Glaswegians’ accent in real life. The characters’ Scottish accents feel laboured and…
Read MoreA murder mystery on the isle of Jura
We didn’t have to wait long for the next instalment of Inspector Angus Blue’s whodunnits, and it doesn’t disappoint. Called to Jura after an attempted assassination on a cabinet minister, the inspector finds himself in a series of fantastically eerie landscapes and is forced to overcome several unexpected hurdles. As with The Peat Dead, the…
Read MoreMore than Chariots of Fire to Eric Liddell
Running The Race is a wonderful ode to an athlete whose steadfast dedication to both sport and faith inspired a nation. While most have seen Eric Liddell’s life played out on the silver screen in Chariots of Fire, Keddie delves deep into the history books, further unravelling the Scot’s progression from young Christian to sporting…
Read MoreScotland’s lost railway to the north-west
Academic books needn’t be reserved for PhD students with a knack for deciphering dense text. Drummond’s style is highly accessible, yet informative. Delving into archives, he unveils the story of north west Scotland in the 1890s, explaining why a railway to Ullapool never came to fruition. It is a niche topic, but even a transport…
Read MoreSeven South African wines you need to try
Peter Ranscombe revisits some of his recent favourites from South Africa as the country’s alcohol ban shifts direction once more. YESTERDAY’S news that the South African government has lifted parts of its alcohol sales ban will provide some relief for wine producers. Yet – as winemaker Bruce Jack warned in a recent article for The…
Read MoreAnother success from Alexander McCall Smith
It is a rarity to find each book in a long series as enjoyable as the last, and yet McCall Smith’s 21st instalment of his much adored No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency has captured the imagination once more. Grabbing the attention from the get-go in a stifling Gaborone setting, McCall Smith’s intelligent yarn is woven with…
Read MoreOpening our eyes to the wonders of the past
To see the world through the eyes of acclaimed archaeologist and television presenter Neil Oliver, if only for a day, would be a true gift – and this tome is about as close as it gets. It pays testament to Oliver’s enthusiasm for the history woven into every square inch of Scotland’s romantic landscapes, and…
Read MoreBarley water is making a comeback
SCOTTISH drinks maker “You + I” has expanded into barley water and botanical tea. The Glasgow-based company, known previously as Clever Kombucha, was set up by husband-and-wife team Alan and Kelsey Moore in 2017. Kesley said: “There is a reason your granny used to give you barley water when you were ill – it is…
Read More#TryJanuary: If you like that, try this…
Looking for inspiration to kick start your #TryJanuary? Peter Ranscombe is on hand with some suggestions. If you like… Albarino Try… its fizzy friend As we saw during lockdown, the pandemic hasn’t got in the way of Mar de Frades continuing to produce seafood-friendly albarino. Winemaker Paula Fandino has also been busy perfecting her sparkling…
Read MoreGlen Scotia toasts entrepreneurs
GLEN Scotia will be toasting innovative business owners as part of a new deal with the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. The Campbeltown distillery has signed up as the competition’s “entrepreneurial spirit partner”. Under the agreement, the whisky label will sponors the contest’s entrepreneurial spirit award and will also celebrate an entrepreneur each month on social…
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