THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

Long before airliners crossed the Atlantic and American stealth bombers secretly flew into the NATO airbase at Machrihanish, pioneers of aviation were at work in the unlikely surroundings of Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow’s West End. And in many parts of Scotland, from great industrial cities to remote islands, pioneer aviators played a more significant role in the history of flight than is often acknowledged.Scotland’s Wings is filled with fascinating insights into Scottish aviation and the people who made it possible, like Percy Pilcher who built ‘The Hawk’ glider in 1896 and very nearly became the first man to invent a machine capable of sustained flight. From the construction of the most northerly airship station in mainland Britain, the RNAS LONGSIDE, to the experience of Scottish civilians and pilots during the Clydebank Blitz of 1941, this account is a glimpse into thrilling, dramatic and sometimes controversial adventures in Scottish aeronautics.

“Welcome to the library…A room packed with stories from ceiling to floor,Shelves of adventures for you to explore.But each book has two stories — the tale the words tell,And the tale of the journey it’s been on as well.”This is the story of one incredible library book and all the children who’ve borrowed it. It’s been hugged, lost, torn, chewed by a dog and soaked in the rain. It’s been read in apartments and in tents, in the park and in the classroom; by children in costumes and pyjamas, reading alone or with their friends, their siblings and their parents.Each time it returns to the library it’s a little more worn, but a lot more loved. For every rip, scribble or stain there’s a child who has found adventure or escape, comfort or excitement in its pages. That’s the magic of a library book!This fun, rhyming text from Caroline Crowe celebrates a love of books and libraries, the joy of discovering a new favourite read, and of sharing it with others. New York Times-bestseller John Joseph’s bright and joyful illustrations bring a diverse cast of children to life with humour and enthusiasm.

DIMILY is the story of Eden Munro and Tyler Bruce, teenagers from different worlds who are thrown together by fate. When sixteen-year-old Eden agrees to spend the summer with her estranged father in the beachfront city of Santa Monica, California, she has no idea what she’s letting herself in for. Eden’s parents are divorced and have gone their separate ways, and now her father has a brand new family. For Eden, this means she’s about to meet her three new step-brothers.The eldest of the three is Tyler, a troubled teenager with a short temper and a huge ego. Eden and Tyler are complete opposites, and as Eden is suddenly thrust into a world full of new experiences, the one thing she can’t understand is Tyler. And the more she presses to figure out the truth about him, the more she finds herself falling for the one person she shouldn’t – her step-brother.Starting with the DID I MENTION I LOVE YOU?, the trilogy continues with DID I MENTION I NEED YOU? and concludes with DID I MENTION I MISS YOU? as Eden and Tyler’s story unfolds. It’s a story that has resonated with readers around the world and this new 3-in-1 edition will introduce Eden and Tyler to a whole new audience as they try to find their way in an increasingly confusing world.

When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced the world to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson in 1887’s A Study in Scarlet, a true icon of literature was born. Since then, their humble address at 221B Baker Street has become almost as famous as the great detective himself, with the incredible popularity of Sherlock Holmes’s adventures never wavering over the last 130 years.Bound in a rich, collector’s cover, this deluxe and expansive edition, produced in association with The Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221B Baker Street, is the definitive collection for fans of the great detective. It contains all of Conan Doyle’s stories – four novels and a colossal 56 short stories – complete and unabridged, encompassing the entirety of the legendary author’s Sherlock Holmes work.

“Long ago, when giants lived in Scotland and Ireland, they stood so tall they could see clearly across the wide water between the two lands.”One day, Irish giant Finn McCool spots Scottish giant Benandonner across the sea and they immediately begin arguing about who is the best giant of all. Despite the wise advice of Finn’s wife Oona, they decide the only way to settle their feud is to fight. But to meet, the daft and boastful giants must first build a causeway across the water…Inspired by Celtic folklore, best-selling Scottish children’s author and storyteller Lari Don weaves a tall tale of rivalry and foolishness that recounts the origins of Northern Ireland’s world-famous Giant’s Causeway and its connection to Scotland’s Isle of Staffa. Emilie Gill’s light-hearted, characterful illustrations of the legendary giants will captivate young children.

A selection of commissioned work and other poems written during Alan Spence’s time as the Edinburgh Makar. These poems celebrate Scotland, Scottishness and the events of 2017- 2021. The book is illustrated with stunning artwork by Victoria Crowe, Alison Watt, Rose Strang, David Williams and Joyce Gunn Cairns.

‘Hungry Beat is the story of an all-too-brief era where the short-circuiting of that industry seemed viable. But hell, the times were luminous as was the music these artists made. The songs and many of the players remain, and here they tell their story and lick their wounds’ Ian RankinThe immense cultural contribution made by two maverick Scottish independent music labels, Fast Product and Postcard, cannot be underestimated. Bob Last and Hilary Morrison in Edinburgh, followed by Alan Horne and Edwyn Collins in Glasgow helped to create a confidence in being Scottish that hitherto had not existed in pop music (or the arts in general in Scotland). Their fierce independent spirit stamped a mark of quality and intelligence on everything they achieved, as did their role in the emergence of regional independent labels and cultural agitators, such as Rough Trade, Factory and Zoo.Hungry Beat is a definitive oral history of these labels and the Scottish post-punk period. Covering the period 1977-1984, the book begins with the Subway Sect and the Slits performance on the White Riot tour in Edinburgh and takes us through to Bob Last shepherding the Human League from experimental electronic artists on Fast Product to their triumphant number one single in the UK and USA, Don’t You Want Me. Largely built on interviews for Grant McPhee’s Big Gold Dream film with Last, Hilary Morrison, Paul Morley and members of The Human League, Scars, The Mekons, Fire Engines, Josef K, Aztec Camera, The Go-Betweens and The Bluebells, Hungry Beat offers a comprehensive overview of one of the most important periods of Scottish cultural output and the two labels that changed the landscape of British music.

Fully illustrated with colour maps and images, this is an accessible introduction to one of history’s most heavily romanticized and mythologized campaigns.Dr Gregory Fremont-Barnes presents a detailed overview of the Forty-five Rebellion, dispelling the myths that have grown up around battles like Culloden and the figures of the Highlanders. Led by the charismatic Bonnie Prince Charlie and fought in the main by clansmen loyal to the Stuarts, the revolt initially saw government forces outmanoeuvred and outfought before the Prince’s march on London halted at Derby. But the following spring, pursued back into the Highlands by the Duke of Cumberland, the Prince’s army made its doomed last stand on the moor of Culloden. Fremont-Barnes examines this key turning point in British history, analysing the dynastic struggle of two royal houses, the Rebellion’s manoeuvres and battles and the tragic aftermath for the Highlands.Updated and revised for the new edition, with full-colour maps and 30 new images, this is an accessible introduction to the famous campaign which saw the Stuart dynasty’s final attempt to regain the British throne, and the end of the Highland clans’ way of life.

New Skin for the Old Ceremony: A Kirtan follows four estranged friends who reunite for a motorcycle trip up the Isle of Skye, in the hope of coming to terms with how their lives have splintered since a transformative ride in Northern India fourteen years earlier. In their fumbling attempts to spiritually reconnect, expectant father Raj, recently widowed Vidushei, perpetually youthful Liam and perpetually fragile Bobby test the limits of their friendship around campfires, on twisty roads, in unexpected Ayahuasca ceremonies, and against discussions of belonging, race, and identity.A novel about youth, the ghosts of friendship, and growing up as a mixed-race person in a small but fiercely proud nation, the story spans India and Skye, seeing the characters exorcise past ghosts in order to face the present.

Miami, 1963. A young boy from Louisville, Kentucky, is on the path to becoming the greatest sportsman of all time. Cassius Clay is training in the 5th Street Gym for his heavyweight title clash against the formidable Sonny Liston. He is beginning to embrace the ideas and attitudes of Black Power, and firebrand preacher Malcolm X will soon become his spiritual adviser. Thus Cassius Clay will become ‘Cassius X’ as he awaits his induction into the Nation of Islam.Cassius also befriends the legendary soul singer Sam Cooke, falls in love with soul singer Dee Dee Sharp and becomes a remarkable witness to the first days of soul music. As with his award-winning soul trilogy, Stuart Cosgrove’s intensive research and sweeping storytelling shines a new light on how black music lit up the sixties against a backdrop of social and political turmoil – and how Cassius Clay made his remarkable transformation into Muhammad Ali.

The creation of large new tracts of forest, together with the development of a modern wood processing sector, was the single biggest transformation to occur in the Scottish countryside during the twentieth century. While the environmental and landscape impacts of this change have been much commented upon, its impact on Scottish culture and society has attracted comparatively little attention. This book tells the fascinating story of the human side of forestry, drawing heavily on the thoughts, experiences and reflections of a wide range of individuals from all levels and all sectors of the industry as it has developed in Scotland over the last 100 years.The book also analyses the evolution of forestry policy and the changing roles of both the state-run Forestry Commission and the private sector. However, at its core are the stories of the men, women and children who have lived and worked in the many communities where old and new forests have loomed large – communities where, especially in the middle decades of the twentieth century, forestry was often the largest source of employment and income, and without which many of these places would have struggled to survive.

F.C.B. Cadell, J.D. Fergusson, G.L. Hunter and S.J. Peploe are now among the most admired of early 20th-century British artists. Their direct contact with French Post-Impressionism and their early knowledge of the work of Matisse and the Fauves encouraged them to produce paintings which are considered some of the most progressive in British art of the early 20th century.During their lifetime the Colourists developed an international reputation, exhibiting in Paris, London and New York as well as Scotland. Since their deaths they have often been overlooked in histories of British art but, in the last 20 years, there has been a dramatic revival of interest in their work.Featuring essays describing the artists’ lives and their involvement with the avant garde in Paris in the early years of the 20th century, this book is richly illustrated with over 100 of the Colourists’ most stylish and inventive paintings.This revised edition has a completely refreshed design and cover as well as an updated bibliography.

A fully updated and expanded edition of the definitive study of Phoebe Anna Traquair.This is a compelling account of the life and career of Phoebe Anna Traquair, a leading figure in Britain’s Arts and Crafts movement. The new edition features new research about her artistic practice, materials and technique as well as her intellectual life, including her correspondence with John Ruskin. Her total commitment to the place of art in her daily life is revealed alongside new details on her family and social life.Traquair was remarkable for her openness to all types of art, and worked in a range of media including embroidery, enamels, illuminated manuscripts and murals. This new edition features 120 illustrations including new discoveries, as well as some of her most famous and best-loved works.Beautifully illustrated and featuring the artist’s own words, this book is at once a fascinating biography and an artistic study of one of Scotland’s first professional women artists.

Edinburgh: An Architectural Portrait featuresan inspiring portfolio of imagery created over a ten-year period by thephotographer and visual artist James Reid. Documenting the City of Edinburghusing digital, analogue and polaroid formats, the book captures the city’s mainconservation areas, with an emphasis on key architects, listed buildings anddistinct aspects of the cityscape.Presented as a beautiful collection ofblack-and-white images, along with a handful of colour works, the book’sdigital images are a mixture of full-frame capture and large-scale compositepieces, along with a selection of 35mm analogue single-frame photography. Theseinclude panoramic views as well as more intimate perspectives, made possible byReid’s unique access to the city’s various buildings and structures of note.The book also features essays by fiveestablished Edinburgh-based artists – Aly Gordon (painter), Bruce Hare(artist and architect), Marianne Magnin (artist and curator), Merlin Ramos(painter) and Henry Stevens (artist and architect) – each ofwhom offers a personally informed response to the city and how itsarchitecture, art and history inform, influence and impact on them.The resulting publication is a uniquevisual mapping of the city’s most architecturally significant areas that willappeal to not only architects, artists and academics, but also residence of andvisitors to one of the world’s most architecturally rich capitals of culture.

One of Alasdair Gray’s most brilliant creations, Poor Things is a postmodern revision of Frankenstein that replaces the traditional monster with Bella Baxter-a beautiful young erotomaniac brought back to life with the brain of an infant. Godwin Baxter’s scientific ambition to create the perfect companion is realized when he finds the drowned body of Bella, but his dream is thwarted by Dr. Archibald McCandless’s jealous love for Baxter’s creation.The hilarious tale of love and scandal that ensues would be “the whole story” in the hands of a lesser author (which in fact it is, for this account is actually written by Dr. McCandless). For Gray, though, this is only half the story, after which Bella (a.k.a. Victoria McCandless) has her own say in the matter.Satirizing the classic Victorian novel, Poor Things is a hilarious political allegory and a thought-provoking duel between the desires of men and the independence of women, from one of Scotland’s most accomplished authors. Alasdair Gray is the author of over a dozen novels and short story collections, including Lanark, 1982 Janine, and Unlikely Stories, Mostly.

From Jim Crumley, the “pre-eminent Scottish nature-writer” (Guardian), this landmark volume documents the extraordinary natural life of the Scottish Highlands and bears witness to the toll climate chaos is already taking on our wildlife, habitats and biodiversity – laying bare what is at stake for future generations.A display of head-turning autumn finery on Skye provokes Jim Crumley to contemplate both the glories of the season and how far the seasons themselves have shapeshifted since his early days observing his natural surroundings.After a lifetime immersed in Scotland’s landscapes and enriched by occasional forays in other northern lands, Jim has amassed knowledge, insight and a bank of memorable imagery chronicling the wonder, tumult and spectacle of nature’s seasonal transformations. He has witnessed not only nature’s unparalleled beauty, but also how climate chaos and humankind has brought unwanted drama to wildlife and widespread destruction of ecosystems and habitats.In this landmark volume, Jim combines lyrical prose and passionate eloquence to lay bare the impact of global warming and urge us all towards a more daring conservation vision that embraces everything from the mountain treeline to a second spring for the wolf.

Don’t miss the next gripping thriller in the DS Max Craigie series… Pre-order now!He’ll watch you.A lawyer is found dead at sunrise on a lonely clifftop at Dunnet Head on the northernmost tip of Scotland. It was supposed to be his honeymoon, but now his wife will never see him again.He’ll hunt you.The case is linked to several mysterious deaths, including the murder of the lawyer’s last client – Scotland’s most notorious criminal… who had just walked free. DS Max Craigie knows this can only mean one thing: they have a vigilante serial killer on their hands.He’ll leave you to die.But this time the killer isn’t on the run; he’s on the investigation team. And the rules are different when the murderer is this close to home.He knows their weaknesses, knows how to stay hidden, and he thinks he’s above the law…Max, Janie and Ross return in the third gripping novel in this explosive Scottish crime series. Pre-order now!Readers LOVE Neil Lancaster!’Wow!! A must for any avid crime/thriller fan! You feel like you are right there in the moment with the characters! Every chapter just left you wanting more!’ Reader review’With each page I turned there was more suspense and intrigue. Add the inevitable twists and turns and you’ve got a must read book!’ Reader review’This was amazing. Fast paced and believable, with a great cast of characters. If you liked Line of Duty this is for you.’ Reader review’This book was really good! It had suspense, intrigue some really bad guys and great police work! There were plenty of heart pounding moments and lots of twists and turns!’ Reader review’Phew! What a ride! A great read and highly recommended.’ Reader review’A fast paced, engaging and heart in the mouth book. Loved it, couldn’t put it down.’ Reader review’It had me up until the wee hours, but I just didn’t want it to end it was that exciting.’ Reader review

‘An outstanding mystery thriller… Noir fans won’t want to miss it’ – Publishers Weekly (Starred)’A riveting, brutal journey into the high stakes world of legacy art and inherited wealth’ – Denise Mina, author of the Garnethill trilogy and The Long DropThe Goldenacre – a masterpiece by the painter and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh – has been given to the people of Scotland. The beautiful canvas, the last work by the artistic genius, enthrals the art world, but behind it lies a dark and violent mystery.Thomas Tallis, an art expert with a trouble past, is trying to uncover the truth about the painting’s complex history, while dogged newspaper reporter Shona Sandison is investigating a series of shocking murders in Edinburgh.Both investigators soon become engulfed in the machinations of money, crime and identity in a literary thriller set amid the seen and unseen forces at work in modern Scotland.

Follow unexpected possibilities on fanciful and humorous journeys, powered by the limitlessness of the imagination and the openness of the human spirit.SUPPOSING I looked in the mirror one day and saw someone who wasn’t me atall…SUPPOSING I sailed around the world and when Iwas a mile from my hometown, I just turned the boat and sailed round again theother way…SUPPOSING…Supposing leads to pondering a chain of hypothetical events that play with theway that things are, daring to imagine a world beyond the laws of physics andunbeholden to societal conventions. Each sentence may start with the same word”SUPPOSING,” but it’s impossible to predict where the zany musings will lead!Alastair Reid’s text, still as delightful and fresh as it was in 1960, isaccompanied by new, dazzlingly vibrant illustrations from JooHee Yoon.

There are numerous myths and misconceptions entrenched in the popular history of golf. Neil Millar challenges these myths and revisits the evidence surrounding the early history of golf. He shows how the game blossomed in Scotland in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and describes the role of Scottish golfers in its spread to other countries between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Early Golf also examines the relative antiquity of golf compared with that of other early stick-and-ball games a topic that has been debated extensively.Golf historians frequently retell anecdotes concerning historical figures such as King James II of Scotland, Queen Catherine of Aragon, Mary Queen of Scots, King Charles I and James, Duke of York. This book re-examines the evidence underpinning such anecdotes and provides a reliable account of early golf history.