THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

Cinema is becoming less and less sexy; yet more and more people are rallying against sex on screen. What could explain this growing anti-sex sentiment among the producers and consumers of screen culture? The sex scene’s intimacies, transgressions, and dedication to pleasure can be uniquely poised to rupture dominant narratives of capitalism and the violences that flow from it. Why is the sex scene, demonised as it is, therefore more politically important and subversive than ever? Revolutionary Desires seeks to answer that question.

There She Goes brings together seventeen women writers – of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry – in an anthology of travel tales to inspire, encourage and empower women adventuring through the world in different ways and stages of life.

There She Goes celebrates the stories of women getting on with getting from one place to another – the grit, courage and determination of moving through the world with babies, with periods, with grief and loss, with the menopause, with magic and humour, with bodies that are ill or disabled or seen as foreign and Other. These are stories so often shared between women verbally but – despite the drama, excitement and humour they contain – are rarely printed.

This is a book offering a new perspective on what it means to be adventurous. In times where fear and worry seem so prevalent, it is a gift of courage and celebration.

“I LOVE DOGS!” says Ava, who desperately wants a dog. Any dog. Tall, small, saggy or waggy. Every day, she asks her parents for a dog and is told they need a lot of looking after. Dogs are forever, not just for Christmas. Just like her Papa’s big baggy knitted jumpers.

Believing she will never get a dog, Ava makes one out of recycled junk, but it can’t eat or walk. When its newspaper tail falls off, Ava spies a photo of sad dogs at the DOGGY DEN, a rehoming centre.

Once there, Ava sees dogs of all shapes and sizes, but the one she loves most is Max, a big, sad,dog who has had five names and six homes, and just longs to be loved.

Their adventure together is about to begin.

Art Deco is a design style infused with glamour and energy. Emerging from the smart metropolises of Paris and New York in the 1920s, its impact quickly spread beyond these cities.

A remarkable range of Art Deco objects, structures and images were created in Scotland as architects and designers incorporated features of Art Deco and moderne into their work. These forms were to be found in fashionable new villas, luxury ocean liners and the fleeting Empire Exhibition, as well as in everyday spaces such as shops, lidos, tramcars, cafes, cinemas and even pithead baths.

In Art Deco Scotland, Professor Bruce Peter explores the variety of Art Deco architecture and design across the country, including iconic structures such as the Beresford Hotel, the Radio Cinema in Kilbirnie, the Portobello Lido, the Tower of Empire in Glasgow and the Clyde-built Queen Mary.

A handpicked crew of dykes board the Caledonian Sleeper bound for Glasgow.

A couple wrestle with gender roles when their flat inventory includes a brand new baby.

A young man’s world expands with possibility in Barcelona, while lust mingles with faith and celebrity in verse.

Curious and provocative, sometimes domestic, sometimes otherworldly, this collection of stories, poems and memoir provides a snapshot of Scotland’s queer community and LGBTI+ writing scene, and captures the variety of experiences that bind our community together. The full Fierce Salvage line-up is: Adi Novak, Alyson Kissner, AW Earl, Cal Bannerman, Carrie Marshall, Ciara Maguire, Colin Herd, Colin McGuire, Elspeth Wilson, Ely Percy, Etzali Hernandez, Eve Brandon, Fraser Currie, Hannah Nicholson, Heather Parry, Jane Flett, Lakshmi Ajay, Len Lukowski, Mae Diansangu, Matthew Kinlin, Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin, Paul Brownsey, Pernina Jacobs, Rhys Pearse, River McAskill, Robbie MacLeoid, Ross McFarlane, Samuel Goldie, Shane Strachan, Shola von Reinhold, Shona Floate, Suki Hollywood, Titilayo Farukuoye

Beck is sad about moving to Grandma’s farm and leaving their old house and friends behind. But Beck isn’t the only one with a new place to live — a pair of beavers have come to live in the stream nearby.

As Beck settles in, they watch the beavers busily gathering sticks to build a dam, which creates a pool and wetland habitat where lots of other wildlife can live. When the beavers have kits, Beck realises how happy everyone is in their new homes.

By the Beaver Pool is a tale of new beginnings, rewilding, connecting with nature and feeling at home. Catherine Ward’s gentle story cleverly weaves in beaver facts to teach young readers about these incredible ecosystem engineers, which are being reintroduced in the UK due to their ability to transform their local environment and increase biodiversity. Phoebe Roze’s characterful, warm illustrations show the parallel stories of Beck and the beavers, set in stunning Scottish scenery.

Volcanic Tongue presents the first ever collection of multi-award-winning author David Keenan’s music writings. Keenan has been writing about music since publishing his first fanzine, inspired by The Pastels and by Glasgow (and Airdrie’s) DIY music scene, in 1988. Since then, he has written about music for Melody Maker, NME, Uncut, Mojo, The New York Times, Ugly Things, The Literary Review, The Social and, most consistently, The Wire. Volcanic Tongue was also the name of the record shop and mail order that Keenan ran with his partner, Heather Leigh, in Glasgow from 2005-2015.

Volcanic Tongue features the best of his reviews, interviews and think pieces, with exclusive in-depth conversations between Keenan and Nick Cave, members of legendary industrial bands Coil and Throbbing Gristle, krautrock legends like Faust, Shirley Collins, the first lady of English folk, Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine, German auto-destructives Einstürzende Neubauten, as well as discographical analysis of the back catalogues of groups like Sonic Youth and musicians like John Fahey, extensive writings on free jazz and obsessive in-depth digs into favourites like Pere Ubu, Metal Box-era Public Image Ltd, Sun Ra, guitarist and vocalist John Martyn and many more. It is an essential addition to any music fan’s bookshelf.

This first collection of his legendary criticism functions as an extended love letter to the revolutionary music of the 20th century and the incredible culture that sustained it.

Scotland, 1944

Fearless Seffy was hoping for a transfer to England to be near Callum, the Canadian soldier she has given her heart to. Instead she is instructed to train a new group of lumberjills. Will their unhelpful attitude finally be a match for Seffy’s determination and cheerfulness?

Sensible Jean is a true believer in the wartime effort. When she meets a conscientious objector can she accept that following the rules might not always define a person?

And young Missy has come all the way over from Canada to surprise her first love, Callum who is stationed as a soldier in England. But despite this grand act of love, his heart may no longer belong to her…

The Women’s Timber Corps are about to have a tumultuous year…

Rare Tongues is an enthralling tour around the rarest languages in the world, bringing a different eye to an often Anglocentric topic. It explores how globally, language and culture are becoming increasingly homogenous – with a resulting loss of different viewpoints and ways of living.

In Rare Tongues, linguist and writer Lorna Gibb explores the history of these languages, the cultures they belong to, the tales they tell, while offering a glimpse into what we can learn from each of them. From Australia to India, the Canary Islands, Namibia, United States, Scotland, Paraguay and beyond, the book will guide the reader through the stories of languages under threat and languages in resurgence. The different systems of whistles, clicks, vowels, consonants and tones that make up these languages carry important information about our planet, about medicine, about indigenous culture and tradition, even the history of all of mankind.

At once entertaining and informative, Lorna Gibb makes a compelling case for the preservation of the rich linguistic diversity of our world, and expertly shows why it matters for us all.

The River is a life-spanning epic novel about death and new beginnings. There’s a saying, beloved of Scottish grannies: “Whit’s fur ye will no’ go by ye”. Seemingly embracing this maxim, Lachlan McCormack lives his life as aimless as a piece of driftwood, but somehow gets to where he always wanted to be – where the river meets the sea.
The novel is a love story, both to his childhood sweetheart, and to Scotland, and follows Lachlan’s journey through seven decades of the nation’s political, sporting and cultural history (and disappointments). Along the way, it appears that only death has the power to propel him onward, and the novel revisits the seven significant deaths that have shaped him and mapped his journey. It explores the cyclical nature of life, love, happiness, and Scotland’s ongoing struggle with its place in the world.

From an impoverished childhood in the Scottish highlands to Victorian London, this is the inspiring story of two brothers – Daniel and Alexander Macmillan – who built a publishing empire – and brought Alice in Wonderland to the world. Their remarkable achievements are revealed in this entertaining, superbly researched biography.

Daniel and Alexander arrived in London in the 1830s at a crucial moment of social change. These two idealistic brothers, working-class sons of a Scottish crofter, went on to set up a publishing house that spread radical ideas on equality, science and education across the world. They also brought authors like Lewis Carroll, Thomas Hardy and Charles Kingsley, and poets like Matthew Arnold and Christina Rossetti, to a mass audience. No longer would books be just for the upper classes.

In Literature for the People Sarah Harkness brings to life these two warm-hearted men. Daniel was driven by the knowledge that he was living on borrowed time, his body ravaged by tuberculosis. Alexander took on responsibility for the company as well as Daniel’s family and turned a small business into an international powerhouse. He cultivated the literary greats of the time, weathered controversy and tragedy, and fostered a dynasty that would include future prime minister Harold Macmillan.

Including fascinating insights about the great, the good and the sometimes wayward writers of the Victorian era, with feuds, friendships and passionate debate, this vibrant book is bursting with all the energy of that exciting period in history.

Touching, heartfelt and leavened with Debi’s deft use of gentle comedy, Come What May follows Large and Small as they go on a walk in the countryside to decompress after a rather trying afternoon’s baking, reflecting on how, despite the ups and downs of all the moods a day can encompass, their love for each other remains the same.

Moods are like clouds.
One minute they’re vast,
casting shadows and darkness until they go past.
Love stays like the sky, when the clouds move away.
Love stays forever, unchanged, come what may.

His reign must come to an end. But his legacy will live on forever.

After thwarting the scourge of the Viking hordes that had decimated Britain for decades, King Alfred assured a period of peace and prosperity for the kingdom of Wessex. The dream of uniting all Anglo-Saxons under one, noble banner seems closer than ever before.

But his enemies are not ones to be taken lightly. For even as Alfred works to ensure the fate of his descendants for centuries to come, a fearsome warlord, Haesten, gathers his warriors for a brutal assault upon the shores of Alfred’s territories.

As the battle lines are drawn, as the true power of this new and terrifying threat comes into its own, the ageing king knows in his heart that things will be different this time round. For as strong as his land, his birthright, his Wessex, has become, the consequences of defeat have never been more terrible.

For one who has gained everything… has everything to lose.

In this latest instalment of The Perfect Passion Company, Katie Donald, with the help of her enigmatic neighbour, William, continues her unwavering endeavour to help lonely hearts find love.

After facilitating a handful of successful romances, Katie Donald is eager to continue helping the lovelorn find connection. Word of her expertise spreads quickly, and more people than ever are flocking to the Perfect Passion Company seeking Katie’s advice. With each client’s distinctive quirks and unique personalities, Katie finds herself seeking new and creative solutions to locate their perfect match.

With the tenderness of which only McCall Smith is capable, The Perfect Passion Company charmingly illuminates the fascinating psychology of matchmaking, the universal search for love and compassion, and the mysterious spark of attraction that can, at times, catch hold of us all.

Book 2 of The Perfect Passion Company series.

Master of sci-fi horror Dan Smith delivers an action-packed adventure as secret organisation The Night House exposes the terrifying truth behind the Alpine Heights disaster.

Kyle and Lauren Dempsey believe their soldier stepdad is dead, killed in action in Northern Ireland. But then he turns up at their flat in the Alpine Heights tower block, terrifying changed.

One day later, a mysterious virus seems to be running rampant through the building and many residents are dead.

Nobody has ever discovered what really happened – until now …

Book 1 of The Night House Files series

D.I. Lomond is a devoted family man. A good detective.

When the body of a young woman involved in the worlds of art and adult streaming is found in the River Clyde, Lomond believes there may be echoes of a cold case from the start of his career: an unsolved death on a rural Scottish estate in the 1990s.

Then, a Swedish feminist activist, who also has a connection to Lomond’s past, arrives in the city to protest against the failure of the police to find the killer.

The victims all seem to be drawn from the world of art and business. Is the cold case the answer, or just part of the key, and could the killer be about to get dangerously close to Lomond and his family?

Whisky is a bloody business . . .

When a dilapidated distillery comes up for sale in rural Kintyre, Eilidh and her wife Morag jump at the chance. But their ambition to run the first women-owned whisky distillery in Scotland seems to be scuppered when a grisly, decades-old secret is revealed: two dead bodies have been stuffed into barrels, perfectly preserved in single malt.

To add to their woes, a TV crew has just arrived and the townsfolk will not leave them alone. Eilidh becomes obsessed with solving the murders while juggling whisky tastings, ceilidhs, protests and scandals – everything you’d expect from a wee Scottish town imprisoned by its own geography. And no matter how hard you try, the locals will always find out your secrets.

The History Trees is the ultimate photographic collection of the most historic trees on the planet.

Uncover remarkable trees from around the world, many of which have borne witness to key moments in history or reached a scale and age that have allowed them to become a part of history themselves.

First meet ‘Methuselah’, a bristlecone pine in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, believed to be 4,900 years old. Learn about trees which have inspired great events, such as the Isaac Newton apple tree in Lincolnshire, where the famous scientist observed an apple falling from a tree (which still stands in the family garden). Other flora has withstood historic events such as in Japan, where the Hibaku jumoku still grows as a survivor tree from the Hiroshima bombing and the 9/11 Survivor Tree in New York City.

Many trees continue to inspire our world today including the long avenue of beech trees in Northern Ireland known as the Dark Hedges which Game of Thrones fans will instantly recognise as the road to Kings Landing, the Robin Hood’s oak in the Sherwood Forest or the J. R. R. Tolkien trees in Avebury, which inspired the Ents in TheLord of the Rings.

Rest a while beside the oldest trunks and witness the enthralling stories nestled within the branches of these gentle giants.

Can ‘no’ be a declaration of love? What happens when love is savage, dangerous and all-consuming? In this gorgeous and unsettling collection, women navigate the complexities and cruelties of desire across time and place, from a medieval convent to a Victorian parlour to a 1990s high school.

An expectant mother feeds raw meat to the wasp’s nest in her shed.
A pair of sapphic lovers use ghost possession to fleece money from lecherous men.
One woman in wartime London discovers that she loves her husband much more as a ghost.
A teenage girl becomes infatuated with a bloodthirsty succubus.

Intensely atmospheric, surprising and darkly funny, this collection is a richly flavoured feast from a brilliant writer in full command of the form.

Because some doors should never be opened.

New York bookseller Cassie Andrews is not sure what she’s doing with her life. She lives quietly, sharing an apartment with her best friend, Izzy. Then a favourite customer gives her an old book. Full of strange writing and mysterious drawings, at the very front there is a handwritten message:

This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.

Cassie is about to discover that the Book of Doors is a special book – a magic book. A book that bestows extraordinary abilities on whoever possesses it. And she is about to learn that there are other magic books out there that can also do wondrous – or dreadful and terrifying – things.

Because where there is magic there is power and there are those who will stop at nothing to possess it.

Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is Drummond Fox who has a secret library of magical books hidden in the shadows for safekeeping, a man fleeing his own demons. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .

Because this book is worth killing for.

Addictive, brilliantly written and utterly irresistible, The Book of Doors is the spell-binding, mind-bending, heart-pounding new adventure that is perfect for fans of The Binding, The Midnight Library and A Discovery of Witches . . .