THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

A swoon-worthy Scottish romance set on the picturesque Isle of Skye. From the author of Kilt Trip.

Scot on the Trail!

Brooke Sinclair’s dream of being a published author derailed when she was expelled from the University of Edinburgh seven years ago. Now a ghostwriter, she sticks to other people’s stories. But when her college mentor Mhairi McCallister needs a co-writer for her memoir about Scotland’s most challenging trek, Brooke would do anything for the opportunity – including agreeing to hike the rugged Skye Trail for authenticity’s sake. What she doesn’t know is that the nature photographer who’ll join her is Jack Sutherland, the man who shattered Brooke’s writing career – and her heart.

Between getting sacked from the university and walking away from his family’s tour-guiding business to follow his photography dreams, Jack is desperate to prove he didn’t disappoint his family for nothing. Even if it means acting as guide and storyteller for the one who got away.

As Jack and Brooke head into the solitude of the sweeping Scottish landscape, they’re forced to confront old feelings. But can two weeks and eighty miles heal years of unspoken hurt and offer a second chance at love?

A sharp, empowering novel about a group of women who refuse to go quietly when society tells them they’re no longer valuable beyond the age of 40, from the author of Ginger and Me.

Amy, Carole, Lenore and Susan have been best friends since school. Back then they couldn’t wait for the future, for the amazing lives they’d have.

But things haven’t worked out how they expected. Now in their forties, they’re fed up with being taken for granted by their families, being passed over for promotions at work and being told that they’re past their best. And they’re not going to go quietly anymore.

Fuelled by female rage and their charismatic leader Amy, the four embark on a campaign of graffiti in their hometown of Hamilton, scrawling feminist slogans on the walls of local buildings.

But is Hamilton ready for the feminist revolution the Graffiti Girls have in store?

One family home. Three generations. What could possibly go wrong?

Carly loves her family. She really does. It’s just that now her three children are grown up, she thought it was her time.

Everyone talks about the empty nest and how difficult that can be, but Carly and her husband, Frank, have often fantasised about it – meals without arguments, conversation without shouting over the sound of the Xbox, holidays planned around the culture not the kids’ club.

But Carly’s nest is far from empty. Her elderly dad needs more support and is moving in ‘temporarily’. On top of which, Carly’s son, Eddie, is far too comfortable at home – why go out and get a job, when your parents keep you fed and your clothes laundered? And just when Carly is starting to pull her hair out, Eddie drops a bombshell that changes everything.

Is there room in the nest for one more?

As a world heritage site and one of the most visited cities in the world, Edinburgh boasts a huge range of buildings from all periods and in many different styles. In this book, architectural writer Robin Ward introduces 300 of the city’s most fascinating places, from imposing public buildings such as galleries, museums, banking halls, churches and theatres to pubs, domestic dwellings, monuments and industrial architecture.

Conveniently grouped by location, all areas of the city are covered, including suburbs. All are accessible by walking, cycling, public transport or car.

This lavish book features objects dating from the 12th through to the 17th centuries It provides a definition for what stained glass is, how it is made, the various techniques used in the creation of the glass, and the intricate decoration and artwork of key individual pieces, using examples from the range of glass collected by Sir William. Stained glass was a passion of his; he incorporated it into his home at Hutton Castle in the Scottish Borders, and was keen for it to be shown to its best advantage in its eventual location in the Burrell Collection. 

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.

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?