Posts Tagged ‘writer’
What has made Room 101 and Big Brother normal
Author Dorian Lynskey believes that every generation finds aspects of George Orwell’s 1984 that resonate with their own political times. Today we have the normalisation of lies and what the Trump administration has called ‘alternative facts’. Another major issue anticipated by the book, published in 1949 and now in its 70th anniversary year, is the…
Read MoreDo you know where to find the best pub pie in Scotland?
A Scots restaurant is on the hunt to find the best pub pie in Scotland. The Bridge Inn at Ratho, near Edinburgh, wants to scour the land from John o’Groats to Jedburgh, with pubs being asked to enter their best pie recipes. Five of the industry’s finest experts have been invited to judge the awards,…
Read MoreThe buzzard is a success story – but it is too successful?
Buzzards are a conservation success story. The raptors’ numbers are so buoyant that concerns over their impact on other wildlife have been raised and measures as drastic as a cull are being suggested. It seemed ironic that, shortly after I had despatched a badly injured buzzard filled with shot pellets, that the next visitor to…
Read MoreThe King and the Bard were under her spell
Jane, Duchess of Gordon, threw legendary parties, hosted Edinburgh’s best literary salon and recruited troops through her beauty and charm. No wonder everyone from King George III to Robert Burns was under her spell. The streets and closes of eighteenth century Edinburgh could be a dangerous place to walk. Every evening, the public houses and…
Read MoreScots author has the Devil investigate crimes
A Scots writer’s new book has a devilish slant to it. Jonathan Whitelaw, from Glasgow, is delighted to launched The Man in the Dark, a sequel to the bestselling HellCorp. His debut novel was the critically acclaimed Morbid Relations. There’s another mystery to solve – a woman kidnapped by terrorists and the world trying to…
Read MoreTake a bough to restore the Caledonian pine forest
Through his Trees for Life project, Alan Watson Featherstone has made it his life’s work to restore Glen Affric’s ancient pine forest. There’s a certain irony to meeting Alan outside the massive Vue Cinema in Inverness, for the city’s sprawling urbanisation is a far cry from the conservationist’s usual habitat. Featherstone has been at the…
Read MoreTown gets ready to pay tribute to Coulter’s Candy
A final appeal is being made to relatives of Robert Coltart, after an appeal to find people related to the writer of the lullaby Ally Bally Bee. A sculpture in Galashiels dedicated to 19th century weaver-turned sweetmaker Coltart is to be revealed on Friday 20 September, with Innerleithen sculptor Angela Hunter putting the final touches…
Read MoreWitty play coming to Glasgow’s Theatre Royal
Witty, razor sharp play What’s In A Name? is to play at Theatre Royal, Glasgow next month. Joining Joe Thomas, best known for his role in E4’s The Inbetweeners, are Bo Poraj (Miranda, Musketeers), Laura Patch (Afterlife, Star Stories), Summer Strallen (Top Hat, Young Frankenstein) and Alex Gaumond (Company, Dirty Rotten Scoundrel, Matilda). What’s In…
Read MoreThe Gruffalo marks its birthday with Scots castle visit
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of The Gruffalo by Scots-based writer Julia Donaldson. To celebrate, the National Trust for Scotland’s Fyvie Castle is getting ready to welcome a special visitor later this month. The Gruffalo will be going for a walk at the historic Aberdeenshire castle on Saturday 24 And Sunday…
Read MoreA fascinating insight into a privileged socialist
The Burning Glass tells the fascinating story of Naomi Mitchison, a dedicated socialist and feminist who attacked life with an insatiable energy and a desire to speak out for the needs of others. Born into privilege in Edinburgh in 1897, she died aged 101 having given birth to seven children, travelled the world and campaigned…
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