THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

A beautiful hardback edition of the seminal novel that changed the face of British fiction.

Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away, pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total fuckin embarrassment tae the selfish, fucked-up brats ye’ve produced.

Choose life.

‘The best book ever written by man or woman… Deserves to sell more copies than the Bible’ Rebel Inc

‘Welsh writes with a skill, wit and compassion that amounts to genius’ Sunday Times

VINTAGE QUARTERBOUND CLASSICS: Beautiful editions of great books to last a lifetime

In 1918 Lord Leverhulme bought the island of Lewis with ambitious plans to massively expand its fishing industry and increase its population.

In 1923, when his plans had failed, he offered it free of charge to the islanders in two parts. One part, which included impoverished rural areas, was economically unviable. But the other, based around the busy fishing port and administrative centre of Stornoway, was a different matter. In accepting Leverhulme’s offer, the hardheaded, churchgoing business class of Stornoway took on the responsibility of making the radical slogan “Land for the People” a reality. It was an unlikely coupling, but it worked to perfection.

The 20th century was a tumultuous time for Lewis. Migration and depopulation were exacerbated by two world wars. Such problems could not be addressed in the lottery of private landownership, but in the stable, democratic government of the Stornoway Trust, town and country alike would weather the storms.

Roger Hutchinson tells the story of those storms, and of the people who guided their pioneering estate into the relative security and prosperity of the 21st century. In doing so he paints a vivid portrait of a unique landholding experiment, of Highland land struggle and of the island of Lewis itself.

‘Merryn Glover’s The Hidden Fires is not just brave, it is remarkable’ – Sir John Lister-Kaye

Elemental, fierce and full of wonder, the Cairngorm mountains are the high and rocky heart of Scotland. To know them would take forever, to love them demands a kind of courageous surrender.

In The Hidden Fires, Merryn Glover undertakes that challenge with Nan Shepherd as companion and guiding light. Following in the footsteps and contours of The Living Mountain, she explores the same landscapes and themes as Shepherd’s seminal work. This is a journey separated by time but unified by space and purpose, a conversation between two women across nearly a century that explores how entering the life of a mountain can illuminate our own.

An Australian who grew up in the Himalayas, her early experiences of the Scottish hills and weather left her cold. But gradually acclimatising and with an approach like Shepherd’s, that is more mountain wandering than mountaineering, she discovers the spark that sets the hills and herself on fire. Through Glover’s deepening encounter, the wild majesty and iridescence of the Cairngorms is revealed in this beautiful evocation of landscape, place and identity.

From the co-founder of the SFSA and SFSA resident writer comes a dive into what it is about Scottish football than truly captures us. With contributions from the likes of Henry McLeish, Gordon Duncan, Hugh Carter, Tommy McAllister, Tom Miller, Ben Patterson, Colin Campbell, Alan Thompson – and many, many more – this book takes you from club to club, exploring what it is they love about their local teams and football itself.

From Rangers to Falkirk to Dundee United, there is something for every fan of football here. This labour of love will look through not only the history of each of these teams, but the personal story each person has with them. Profits from Truly the People’s Game: Why We Love Scottish Football will be going to support Fans for Foodbanks and the SFSA’s work with Play Soccer Malawi.Scottish football is always a hot topic for fans and those associated. It will also make an ideal gift for any fan this Christmas. Covering a large variety of clubs, any fan can pick up this book and find something of their interest.

The first scholarly edition of Bogle Corbet

Includes explanatory notes and a glossary of Scots vocabulary

Three maps locate the novel’s key transits and locales

A detailed introduction lays out much of the historical background to the novel’s four key locations (Glasgow; London; Jamaica; Upper Canada)

Includes detailed overview of the novel’s original 1831 reception; its rediscovery in the 1950s-70s, and current scholarly debates about the novel

Includes an appendix excerpting key 1831 reviews and documents from the novel’s belated Canadian revival

Through the life-story of its eloquent but depressive narrator, Bogle Corbet links the industrial revolution in Scotland to the French Revolution, Jamaica’s plantation economy to the settlement of English Canada. A pioneering industrial novel, colonial novel, and world systems novel, Bogle Corbet also offers an early psychological portrait of emigrant experience. Galt’s vivid vignettes show Britain and key British colonies at moments of political unrest and transition, and explore the ambivalences of a world newly governed by industrialism, capitalism, globalisation, and mass displacement. Galt’s novel thus remains a work for our own times, even as it offers important transcontinental insights into a key historical juncture. It has inspired eloquent champions (both nineteenth- and twentieth-century) and continues to spark critical debate.

Acclaimed chef Stuart Ralston is known as one of the most innovative and creative cooks working in the UK today. Stuart’s inspirations come from all around him, and throughout his career he has kept a notebook to jot down ideas for flavour combinations and recipes. He goes back to those ideas again and again, playing with taste and texture to create stunning and intriguing dishes.

Catalogued Ideas and Random Thoughts – A Cookbook traces his evolution as a chef, and brings together the food that inspires him, the finely crafted dishes that he creates in his restaurants and the food he likes to cook at home.

A unique and beautiful cloth-bound hardback edition with elastic closure and stunning photography by Clair Irwin.

Revered across the globe as an author of compelling novels, journalism and essays that came to define the twentieth century, George Orwell was an unmatched political visionary, shining a light on the insidious nature of propaganda. Yet this chronicler of war, social injustices and urban poverty spent his later years living in a rustic and remote farmhouse, miles from the nearest neighbour. His rural escape was on the Hebridean island of Jura – another paradox, given that he harboured a deep-seated prejudice against Scotland for much of his life.

In 1946, Orwell arrived at his isolated home of Barnhill as a grieving widower living in the shadow of war and the nuclear threat. It was there he wrote his masterpiece, Nineteen Eighty-Four. Beyond the writing desk, he was transformed: his new life was one of natural beauty and tight-knit community – and he grew to love a corner of the world he had once dismissed.

Orwell’s Island casts important new light on a great modern thinker and author. No previous biography has revealed so much about Orwell’s later years or his time on Jura, despite this being where he created Big Brother, the Thought Police and Room 101 – creations still in common currency today.

Scotland, 158 AD, is a divided country. On one side of the Antonine Wall, thirteen-year-old Felix is trying to become a good Roman soldier like his father. On the other, twelve-year old Jinny is vowing revenge on the “metal men” who have invaded her Maetae tribe’s homeland. At the Maetae’s sacred circle of standing stones, her planned attack on Felix goes badly wrong, awakening a legend that threatens to bring fire and destruction down on them all. Can Jinny and Felix overcome their differences and soothe the stones back to sleep before it’s too late?

Volume two of Walking the Munros, this guidebook describes 70 challenging and inspiring routes up Scotland’s iconic 3000ft+ mountains within the Northern Highlands, the Cairngorms and the Isle of Skye. The routes, which range from 7 to 46km (with the option to reduce walking distance on some of the longer routes by cycling the approach), cover 143 Munro summits, offering half and full-day walk and scramble options.

Clear and concise route descriptions are accompanied by 1:100K mapping, together with invaluable practical information on access, parking, accommodation and more. Also included are two handy indexes of the Munros – listed alphabetically and by height – a perfect resource for peak-baggers.

This guide incorporates both popular and lesser-known routes, and celebrates the raw and rugged beauty of these majestic mountains.

Guide to 50 walks and easy scrambles in north-western Scotland, covering Southern Torridon, Northern Torridon, Letterewe and Fisherfield, and the Fannichs. Ascents of 27 Munros, 20 Corbetts and 14 Grahams are included, with highlights including Liathach, Beinn Eighe, Beinn Alligin, An Teallach and Slioch. The walks are suitable for those with good navigation skills who are competent in a mountain environment.All the walks in the guide are graded, with summary statistics provided, and each includes clear route description and mapping. There’s also a route summary table to help with choosing appropriate walks. Background information on local geology, wildlife and history, and planning details on when to go, where to stay and what to take are included to make the most out of any trip to Torridon.The region boasts spectacular and distinctive landscapes and breathtaking views. Steep-sided rocky mountains rise above long winding lochs, both freshwater and sea. From the hills there are vast panoramas out across the sea to the Hebrides and of mountains stretching out to the north, south and east. This is a land for those who love open spaces, vast horizons, and the domination of nature.

Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music serves as a comprehensive and thorough introduction to the history, politics, culture and musicology of twentieth and twenty-first century popular music in Scotland. The volume consists of essays by local experts and leading scholars in Scottish music and culture, and covers the major figures, styles, and social contexts of popular music in Scotland. Each essay provides adequate context so readers understand why the figure or genre under discussion is of lasting significance. The book includes a general introduction to Scottish popular music, followed by essays organized into three thematic sections: Histories, Politics and Policies, and Futures and Imaginings.

Examining music as cultural expression in a country that is both a nation and a region within a larger state, this volume uses popular music to analyse Scottishness, independence and diversity and offers new insights into the complexity of cultural identity, the power of historical imagination, and the effects of power structures in music. It is a vital read for scholars and students interested in how popular music interacts with and shapes such issues both within and beyond the borders of Scotland.

Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music serves as a comprehensive and thorough introduction to the history, politics, culture and musicology of twentieth and twenty-first century popular music in Scotland. The volume consists of essays by local experts and leading scholars in Scottish music and culture, and covers the major figures, styles, and social contexts of popular music in Scotland. Each essay provides adequate context so readers understand why the figure or genre under discussion is of lasting significance. The book includes a general introduction to Scottish popular music, followed by essays organized into three thematic sections: Histories, Politics and Policies, and Futures and Imaginings.

Examining music as cultural expression in a country that is both a nation and a region within a larger state, this volume uses popular music to analyse Scottishness, independence and diversity and offers new insights into the complexity of cultural identity, the power of historical imagination, and the effects of power structures in music. It is a vital read for scholars and students interested in how popular music interacts with and shapes such issues both within and beyond the borders of Scotland.

DCI Kelso Strang is led to believe that something very odd is going on around the prosperous fishing port of Tarleton on Scotland’s south-east coast. Firstly, a young Detective Inspector is traumatised after witnessing a doctor throwing herself off a cliff, and accusations of extortion have riven the local community.And when the ugly death of a young farmer sets off a murder investigation, Strang finds himself caught in a spider’s web of criminality. He is entirely unprepared when he is struck by the worst tragedy of his career, even though it has also brought him into contact with a young advocate’s assistant called Catriona, daughter of DI Marjory Fleming.

‘Beautiful and uplifting’ Davina McCall

‘So inspiring, so heartfelt … the way Donna writes is beyond beautiful.’ Lisa Snowdon

Uplifting inspiration from the Sunday Times bestselling author of I Wish I Knew

Wild Hope is Donna Ashworth’s powerful new collection of wisdom to help us find hope, peace, self-acceptance and inspiration on the days we feel worn down, helpless or sad. Written with love and understanding, Donna reminds us that amidst our daily struggles and constant outpourings of bad news we have so much to hope for, and that every one of us can play a part, big or small, in making the world a better place.

With poems such as ‘That Thing You Do’, ‘Through the Ringer’ and ‘Rope Ladder’, Donna helps us to remember that most people in this world are good, and that acts of kindness and love within our individual spheres of influence, however small, all contribute to a better future. She also gently guides us, no matter how busy or overburdened we may be, to practice better self-care and self-acceptance.

Hope exists when nothing else can. On the darkest of days Wild Hope will help you find more light.

Now hard to believe, Eilean Donan Castle was once one of the largest castles in the west Highlands, known to have featured seven towers, the remains of which lie buried on the island. This book provides a refreshed view of the lost medieval guise of the castle, of its 13th-century origins and form, and of who was responsible for building it, allowing the castle to be positioned accurately in the complex dynamics of powerholding and display of the earls of Ross and associated militarised kindreds of the west Highlands during six centuries of change up to the castle’s destruction in 1719.

A new history and the details of the below-ground archaeology allow us to see the lost medieval castle in our mind’s eye 500 years after it vanished. Focusing on the wealth of archaeological material unearthed during the campaign shows the castle hosted master craftspeople including goldsmiths, shipwrights and hereditary swordsmiths. Exquisite personal items, decorative mail armour and weapons, musical instruments, gaming pieces, imported pottery and animal bones bring the castle and its inhabitants back to life.

An ancient land with a turbulent past and haunting landscape, Scotland’s material culture stretches back to the time of ancient Roman incursions north of Hadrian’s Wall and includes Viking raids, wars with England, and clan wars that still stir the blood today. Now, remnants of the country’s history can be found in every corner of this dramatic land, from the thinly inhabited Western Isles to the remote Highlands and the fishing ports of the North Sea coast.

In Abandoned Scotland, discover the ramshackle sanatorium of Glen O’Dee Hospital; see the rusting, neglected rides and rollercoasters of the Loudoun Castle Theme Park, closed after a fatal accident in 2007; quake at the site of New Slains Castle, Cruden Bay, said to be haunted by soldiers and mermaids; venture underground into the massive labyrinth of Cults Limestone Mine, which attracts treasure hunters and potholers, despite the dangers; explore Cramond Ghost Island, and the massive World War II teeth created to block the Firth of Forth in case of invasion; and see one of the country?s many ruined castles, including the 14th century Castle Stalker, set on a tidal islet on Loch Laich, or the atmospheric Buchanan Castle, set close to Loch Lomond.

Illustrated with 180 photographs, Abandoned Scotland provides a fascinating pictorial exploration of the little-known corners of this glorious country.

‘Brilliant! The Institution is a harrowing, nonstop story that will grab you from the first page and not let go. Helen Fields is a master of suspense. You’ll consume it in one sitting.’ – International bestselling sensation JEFFERY DEAVER

They’re locked up for your safety

.Now, you’re locked in with them.

Dr Connie Woolwine has five days to catch a killer.

On a locked ward in the world’s highest-security prison hospital, a scream shatters the night. The next morning, a nurse’s body is found and her daughter has been taken. A ransom must be paid, and the clock is ticking.

Forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine is renowned for her ability to get inside the mind of a murderer. Now, she must go deep undercover among the most deranged and dangerous men on earth and use her unique skills to find the girl – before it’s too late.

But as the walls close in around her, can Connie get the killer before The Institution gets her?

A claustrophobic, haunting crime thriller that will keep you up at night, perfect for those who couldn’t put down The Sanatorium and Amy McCulloch’s Breathless.

Readers never want to leave The Institution!

‘Terrifyingly brilliant and an absolute must-read for those who enjoy dark psychological thrillers.’

‘A very dark and exciting read. If you want to stay up all night, love serial killers or just want a strong female heroine , The Institution is for you!’

‘What a story! It gripped me right from the start of the opening chapter. Wow!’

The Lost Flock is the story of the remarkable and rare little horned sheep, known as Orkney Boreray, and the wool-obsessed woman who moved to one of Scotland’s wildest islands to save them.

It was Jane Cooper’s passion for knitting that led her to discover the world of rare-breed sheep and their wool. Through this, Jane uncovered the ‘Orkney Borerary’ – a unique group within the UK’s rarest breed of sheep, the Boreray, and one of the few surviving examples of primitive sheep in northern Europe.

As her knowledge of this rarest of heritage breeds grew, she took the bold step to uproot her quiet suburban life in Newcastle and relocate to Orkney, embarking on a new adventure and life as farmer and shepherd.

Jane was astonished to find that she was the sole custodian of this lost flock in the world, and so she began investigating their mysterious and ancient history, tracking down the origins of the Boreray breed and its significance to Scotland’s natural heritage.

From Viking times to Highland crofts and nefarious research experiments in Edinburgh, this is a so-far untold real-life detective story. It is also the story of one woman’s relentless determination to ensure a future for her beloved sheep, and in doing so revealing their deep connection to the Scottish landscape.

An unforgettable story of a heritage breed and the importance of its existence.

James VI and I has long endured a mixed reputation. To many, he is the homosexual King, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless man behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, the drooling fool whose speech could barely be understood. For too long, he has paled in comparison to his more celebrated – and analysed – Tudor and Stuart forebears. But who was he really? To what extent have myth, anecdote, and rumour obscured him?

In this new biography, James’s story is laid bare, and a welter of scurrilous, outrageous assumptions penned by his political opponents put to rest. What emerges is a portrait of James VI and I as his contemporaries knew him: a gregarious, idealistic man obsessed with the idea of family, whose personal and political goals could never match up to reality. With reference to letters, libels and state papers, it casts fresh light on the personal, domestic, international, and sexual politics of this misunderstood sovereign.

Tha an dàn fada cumasgta Mo Shearmon a’ dèiligeadh ri iomadh cuspair agus a’ gabhail a-steach iomadh ìomhaigh, gach uair mar choltas air na th’ aig am bàrd ri ràdh agus an dòigh air an canar e. ’S e dàn cluicheach, aincheartach, amasgaidh a th’ ann, gun fhios sam bith aig an leughadair càit’ an tèid a stiùireadh no dè tha dol a’ leantainn. Sna dàintean goirid eile nochdaidh faireachdainnean, àiteachan is pearsannan diofraichte, càirdean is nàimhdean còmhla, anns an fhradharc Eòrpach a tha àbhaisteach ann an obair Crìsdean MacIlleBhàin.

The long medley Mo Shearmon treats a range of topics and images as likenesses for what the poet has to say and how he goes about saying it. It’s a playful, mischievous, unpredictable poem where readers can never tell what is coming next or where they will be led, a totally new departure for Gaelic in the twenty-first century. The shorter poems accompanying it deal with different emotions, places and people, friends, enemies and memories, always from the European perspective which is characteristic of Christopher Whyte’s poetry.