THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

Amongst the wide variety of textiles produced in Islamic lands the hand-knotted pile carpet is the emblematic floor covering for home, palace and mosque, prized for its durability and its aesthetics. The Burrell Collection is home to more than 130 beautiful antique examples, which date from the 1500s to the 1800s and come from a vast and diverse area including the Middle East, Central Asia and northern India.

This book presents 46 highlights from the collection – each illustrated in full colour, many with additional close-up images which reveal charming details. The cultural and historical context in which the carpets were made is described, and weaving techniques are introduced. Themes include the arabesque design, Persian carpets, Mughal India’s carpet tradition, the carpet weaving of the nomadic Turkmen tribes, prayer rugs and the importance of floral and animal motifs.

These tapestries, primarily from the medieval and Renaissance periods, showcase the skill and talent of their makers, both in terms of technique and imagination. That they still survive is testimony to the care with which they were treated by their owners throughout the centuries.

This book reveals 50 of the most important pieces from Glasgow’s world-renowned Burrell Collection, with full colour images of each one. Included are grand tapestries woven for royalty, such as the Exploration of the Indies, religious narratives made for church altars, including Death of the Virgin, and decorative cushion covers sold to the aspiring merchant classes. Divided by century, the text unpacks the history of these tapestries, exploring their respective themes and explaining the background as to why the narratives were important to the original owners who commissioned them.

Auguste Rodin is one of the world’s best-known sculptors, his radical approach to subject and technique earning him the title ‘the father of modern sculpture’. William Burrell collected sculptures by Rodin over four decades, from small, decorative pieces, to dramatic life-size artworks, and today Glasgow’s Burrell Collection holds the second largest grouping of Rodins in the UK.

For the first time, this book reproduces in full all 14 of the Burrell’s Rodin sculptures. Among these are early, formative works such as The Age of Bronze, famous sculptures including The Thinker and previously little-known artworks, one of which, The Wave, is a unique cast. New photography shows the sculptures from many viewpoints and reveals fascinating details close up. Illuminating descriptions of the works, an accessible explanation of techniques, and an overview of the artist’s career allow for a deeper appreciation of Rodin’s fascinating journey to becoming one of history’s greatest sculptors.

Excavated from Traprain Law, East Lothian, Scotland, in May 1919, was one of the most spectacular discoveries of Roman silver ever made in Europe – and the biggest hoard of ‘hacksilver’: 23 kg of silver, battered, crushed and chopped up. Blame for the destruction has hitherto been laid at the door of ‘barbarians’ but this lavishly illustrated study changes that view.

An international team of scholars has reviewed the hoard’s origins and manufacture, its use as elite tableware, its hacking and later reuse. A century of new discoveries and ideas allow fresh conclusions, especially about the hacking. With wide-ranging parallels from across Europe, the authors argue that hacking was a deliberate policy to create bullion out of valued vessels at times of economic crisis.

Cupid’s a Psycho is a contemporary love story set in Glasgow. It deals with the intense relationships of three teenagers and a cruel, unthinking act that tests the limits of love and forgiveness against a background of disadvantage and alienation in central Scotland.

At school, Blithe coasts along.  Quiet and defensive, her home life is shaped by precarious poverty and the ill health it creates. When Robbie expresses an interest in Blithe, she initially reciprocates but soon after dumps him via a recorded video chat.  She is persuaded to share the humiliating footage which is then widely shared at school. Robbie’s best friend Jamie is determined to defend and support him but struggles to manage the fall out.

From this, the plot unravels and the trio navigate the heartache and pains of young love and teenage relationships, but from the unique lens of poverty in modern Scotland.

William Arthur is no ordinary teenager. He is a Swidger, a person who can sense future catastrophes and hinder your timepath to certain peril. Only now he’s discovering that his time-bending powers go far beyond mere accident prevention.

After a mind-boggling incident leaves him confused and questioning his place in the world, William is rescued by a wise and bizarre lady by the name of ‘Granny’. Together they embark on an epic journey of hilarity, danger and intrigue.

Will he learn the true nature of his gift?

And can he evade the dark forces that would use his powers for evil? All will be revealed… in time!

Have you ever wondered about the place-names that appear on Scotch whisky bottles? What language the names come from, what they mean or if they are even real places?  If you feel baffled about where to start looking for such information, then this reliable and informative book is for you. Within its pages, you will be able to find out about the derivation and identity of any of these place-names.

This book discusses each place-name that is concerned in some way with Scotch whisky, either as the name of the whisky itself, or as the name of the distillery. For each of these names the author provides an informative discussion of the origin, history and development of the name from a linguistic and historical perspective. He also offers an early spelling of the name, the original meaning (where known) and the correct pronunciation. Where applicable he has added curious information, such as a proverb or extract of poetry that mentions the place-name. No special linguistic or local knowledge is assumed.

Additionally, there is an introduction for the educated non-specialist dealing with the various languages of Scotland: Gaelic, Scots, English, Norse and Pictish. At the end is a full list of sources used, and an appendix identifying some ‘lost’ distilleries. Peppered throughout the book are information boxes about particular pertinent topics, such as Inver– and Aber– names and tautological names.

As a professional place-name researcher, the author has ensured that the material in this book derives from primary sources (many of which are unpublished) and has been rigorously researched, allowing the reader to distinguish between genuine and spurious names.

Interest in Scotch whisky, the Highlands, Gaelic, Scots and place-names has never been higher, and there is an increasing demand for reliable works on these subjects. This is an informative and entertaining book that sets the standard for whisky place-names.

Featuring 20 walks in and around the city, including lesser-known circuits and details on popular walks. Accompanied by guided walking instructions and written by a local expert, A-Z Edinburgh Hidden Walks is the perfect way to explore the city in a new light.

Small enough to fit in a bag or pocket, this handy guidebook is ideal for tourists or locals looking to discover more about the city. Each route varies in length from 1 to 6 miles, and is clearly outlined on detailed A-Z street mapping.

• 20 walking routes with instructions and maps
• Full-colour photographs of hidden gems and city attractions
• Key sights and locations clearly marked on map
• Information such as start/finish points, nearest postcodes, distance and terrain included

A celebration of Camas, the Iona Community’s outdoor activity centre on the Isle of Mull. With its emphasis on creativity, connection with nature, community and outdoor spirituality, Camas has enriched and inspired the lives of many young people and adults, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Reflecting themes of ecology, community, youth work, theology, history, outdoor education and social justice, Down the Track tells the story of every decade of the centre’s history so far – from the time when George MacLeod took ‘Borstal Boys’ there in the 1940s, right through to its modern redevelopment and current programme. 

This anthology includes inspirational poems, essays, quotes, interviews and other writing reflecting the ethos of Camas from former staff and volunteers, local people, Iona Community members and group leaders. Most significantly, woven throughout the book are comments from young people.

Royalties from sales of Down the Track will be donated to support the work of Camas.

This is a historical study of the extraordinary degree of change in attitudes to nature and the use of land in the Cairngorms (eastern Scottish Highlands) region since 1880. It is based on four years of research carried out in 28 different archives across the UK, and as such contains elements of social, economic, environmental and political history.

The study looks at the history of visitor perceptions of the region from 1780, the history of rights of way disputes in the area and the parliamentary campaign for access to the Scottish hills. It also presents an environmental history of the osprey in Scotland, and the history and development of Glenmore National Forest Park, the Aviemore tourist industry and the huge Cairngorms National Nature Reserve.

The book seeks an understanding of the origins and problems of the popular demand for a wider Cairngorms National Park. It marks a timely realisation that nature conservation and recreation have a history, vital in understanding the complex origins of land use conflicts in the modern era, as such conflicts between conservation, development, access and traditional land uses become increasingly common.

Meet George, a resident at the Four Seasons care home in a Scottish seaside town.

Meet Carrie, an occupational therapist at the Four Seasons care home.

Join them as they form an unlikely friendship.

Immerse yourself in their story as they discover second chances in life.

Cheer for them as they find laughter in the face of adversity.

Support them as they both finally learn to bury the ghosts of their pasts and learn to live again.

Most importantly, allow George and Carrie to take you on a journey where you might just end up looking at the world differently.

George Bunce and The Black Wave of Fear is an extraordinary and poignant tale full of hope and humour.

Picinisco, Italy 1955: the war may be over, but for Domenica and her family the struggle for survival carries on. Dealing with the cruel legacy of the battle of Monte Cassino, a now parentless seventeen-year-old Domenica finds herself bound by a promise to care for her 5 younger siblings.

Will she be able to provide for them as food grows scarce? Will she hold the family together? Will this promise cost Domenica her own future with the man she loves?

A fictionalised account of real events, Domenica weaves a rural tale full of home truths in the idyllic Abruzzo Apennines. Through a single shepherding family and its strong-willed eldest daughter, Serafina Crolla exposes the human cost of war beyond the battlefield in a poignant depiction of love and grief, pain and union.

A Scottish Wildlife Odyssey is a five-month voyage of nature discovery (from southernmost Scotland to Shetland) that includes familiar and lesser-known wildlife locations. It is a personal journey written in engaging style by well-known nature writer Keith Broomfield as he seeks out some of Scotland’s more unusual creatures, including those under the sea.

Wild goats, crooning eiders, white-blushed blackthorns, pregnant seals, screeching terns, flying sea trolls, bottlenose dolphins, mysterious cuckoos, speedy slow worms, bonxies, sea eagles, jellyfish swarms and water voles living in high-rise burrows – they are all part of a large supporting cast in this standalone sequel to If Rivers Could Sing: A Scottish River Wildlife Journey.

Helen leaned close enough to fog the mirror with her breath and whispered, ‘You, my girl, are a qualified medical almoner and at eight o’clock tomorrow morning you will be on the front line of the National Health Service of Scotland.’ Her eyes looked huge and scared. ‘So take a shake to yourself!”

Edinburgh, 1948. Helen Crowther leaves a crowded tenement home for her very own office in a doctor’s surgery. Upstart, ungrateful, out of your depth – the words of disapproval come at her from everywhere but she’s determined to take her chance and play her part.

She’s barely begun when she stumbles over a murder and learns that, in this most respectable of cities, no one will fight for justice at the risk of scandal. As Helen resolves to find a killer, she’s propelled into a darker world than she knew existed, hardscrabble as her own can be. Disapproval is the least of her worries now.

IN PLACE OF FEAR is a gripping new historical crime novel that is both enthralling and entertaining, and perfect for fans of AJ Pearce and Nicola Upson.

It is 1938 and the final days of the British Empire. In a bungalow high up in the green hills above the plains of Ceylon, under a vast blue sky, live the Ferguson family: Bella, a precocious eight-year-old; her father Henry – owner of Pitlochry, a tea plantation – and her mother Virginia. The story centres around the Pavilion in the Clouds, set in the idyllic grounds carved out of the wilderness. But all is not as serene as it seems. Bella is suspicious of her governess, Miss White’s intentions. Her suspicion sparks off her mother’s imagination and after an unfortunate series of events, a confrontation is had with Miss White and a gunshot rings off around the hills.

Years later, Bella, now living back in Scotland at university in St Andrews, is faced, once again with her past. Will she at last find out what happened between her Father and Miss White? And will the guilt she has lived with all these years be reconciled by a long over-due apology?

Robin Lloyd-Jones has been exploring the west coast and islands of Scotland in his sea kayak for more than forty years. In this book he recalls many a memorable expedition to wild and beautiful shores. Amongst magnificent scenery and ever-changing seas, we are transported to Jura, Scarba, the Garvellach Isles, Mull, Staffa, the Treshnish Isles, the Monach Isles, Iona, Lewis and the Uists, Skye, the Orkneys, and the Shetland Isles.

Along the way, he explains a great deal about kayaking, about the wildlife and history of the areas he visits. More than that, however, he makes us feel that we are with him in his kayak. Through his vivid and beautifully crafted prose, we experience the terror of a force nine gale, the tranquillity of moonlit trips, and the lure of tiny bays and seal-meadows accessible only to a slim kayak. We encounter dolphins, otters, unidentified monsters and nuclear submarines.

This is a book to set the imagination adrift and appeal to the Robinson Crusoe in all of us; a book for those seeking wider horizons, be their vessel an armchair or a kayak.

In 1995 the National Trust for Scotland acquired Mar Lodge Estate in the heart of the Cairngorms. Home to over 5,000 species, this vast expanse of Caledonian woodlands, subarctic mountains, bogs, moors, roaring burns and frozen lochs could be a place where environmental conservation and Highland field sports would exist in harmony. The only problem was that due to centuries of abuse by human hands, the ancient Caledonian pinewoods were dying, and it would take radical measures to save them.

After 25 years of extremely hard work, the pinewoods, bogs, moors and mountains are returning to their former glory. Regeneration is the story of this success, featuring not only the people who are protecting the land and quietly working to undo the wrongs of the past, but also the myriad creatures which inspire them to do so.

In addition, it also tackles current controversies such as raptor persecution, deer management and rewilding and asks bigger questions about the nature of conservation itself: what do we see when we look at our wild places? What should we see?

Distinctive debut collection from a vibrant new voice in Scottish poetry.

Lynn Valentine is a distinctive new voice in Scottish poetry. With hints of fairytale and gothic, she writes precise and poignant poems embracing what is often overlooked or peripheral – a father who drives the snowplough, a childless woman seeking consolation from a Sheela-na-gig. This collection is alive with horses, crows, deer, and as the title suggests, bees; all points north. – Jay Whittaker

Enhanced by her apt and confident use of Scots, which glimmers like gold leaf throughout, Lynn Valentine’s poems weave the ethereal with the everyday, and reveal to us a glimpse of the natural and unnatural world we stride and stumble through. From council workers to prophetic aunts, Mills and Boon to the winter solstice, the poems here are full of making do and doing without, of childhood and childlessness, of the grief of loss and the grief of absence. This is a special collection, and a wonderful debut. – Aoife Lyall

Lynn Valentine is a fearless writer who tackles the great unspeakables head-on – bereavement, loss, childlessness, exile; and yet it’s not death that prevails in these poems, but rather the sovereignty of life and, with all its gifts and with all its heartbreaks, the obstinate beauty of the living world. – John Glenday

Marjeta Petrell. Replacement bride, shadow of a dead and perfect wife, step-mother to a duke’s treasured daughter.

A girl out of her depth, alone and afraid.

Magic runs deep in her veins, stitched in blood ties, embroidered with kindness and pain.

In an unfamiliar court, Marjeta must discover who are her friends, who are enemies, and who she can trust before she is accused of witchcraft and executed.

Scotland – 170 million years ago – The Jurassic Period! Dugie is a long-necked dinosaur who lives on the Isle of Skye. When he is separated from his family by a storm, he needs the help of some new friends to get back to the safety of his lagoon.

A story of bravery, friendship, and dinosaurs! Based on real-life fossils found by palaeontologists on the Isle of Skye.