The Ballad of Peckham Rye by Muriel Spark

An antidote to pseudo-clever books about books and very funny.

Scottish Ballads edited by Emily Lyle

Full of stories from a before-time that resonates right through Scottish literature.

Venus as a Boy by Luke Sutherland

Startling and brutal and beautiful, writing from Scottish island remembered by a black adopted child.

The Deadman’s Pedal by Alan Warner

Mr Warner writing like a dream about the world of men and trains – coming of age.

Pure Dead Magic by Debi Gliori

Wonderfully inventive and immediately recognisable and good to read aloud.

Lanark by Alasdair Gray

Because it’s Lanark.

The Burn by James Kelman

Because there aren’t enough short stories and I think it’s what Mr K does very best.

A Case of Knives by Candia McWilliam

To the memory of my first hearing of a remarkable voice.

The Life of Robert Burns by Catherine Carswell

Was banned on first appearing for being a little too sexually honest and a clearer look at Burns than any misguided hagiography.

Any book by Kathleen Jamie

Because Kathleen Jamie is the Queen of Sheba.

Janice‘s latest book Jellyfish is out now published by Freight Books.