Scottish Books.

Recently Published Scottish Book Titles

44 Scotland Street Alexander McCall Smith tackles issues of trust and honesty, snobbery and hypocrisy, love and loss, but all with great lightness of touch. Clever, elegant and funny, this is a novel that provides huge entertainment but which is underpinned by the moral dilemmas of everyday life and the characters' struggles to resolve them.

Volcanoes And The Making Of Scotland Scotland's mountains and glens retain the secrets of the long and frequently violent geological history that has gone into their making. Volcanoes have played a major role in the creation of Scotland and while the youngest, a mere sixty million years old, were responsible for much of the scenic splendour of the Inner Hebrides, the rocks composing many of the famous Scottish landforms as, for example, those of Glencoe and the Edinburgh district are also the direct result of volcanism.

A Sense of Belonging to Scotland Breathtaking photographs of the favorite places of fifty Scottish celebrities, including Ewan McGregor, Sam Torrance, Ian Rankin and Brian Cox. All of them describe in their own words what makes their chosen corner of Scotland so special to them. A unique book that captures the essence of Scotland and its people.

The Man Who Saw the Future: William Patersons Vision of Free Trade Inspired by the Dutch traders in the Caribbean and the exploits of buccaneers and pirates, the young Scottish merchant William Paterson envisaged a new era of world commerce and free trade on the open seas unencumbered by the monopoly trading that, in his view, restricted progress.

Fighting Mac: The Downfall of Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald A crofter's son who had risen from the ranks to become one of Britain's greatest military heroes. Everything lay at his feet - a knighthood, honours - but Macdonald's career came to a shocking full stop when he stood accused of homosexuality and was ordered to face a court martial. Unable to come to terms with the disgrace, he committed suicide. Fighting Mac tells the true story behind his disgrace and sheds new light on the myths and legends which grew up after his death.

Highland Schottische by Robert Grieve Black. If you are Scottish you will want to read this book. If someone you know was a prisoner of war in Poland you will be intrigued by the last chapters. If you are inspired by things Gaelic, Highland or Celtic you will find inspiration in these pages. If you like a story that is true, not fiction, this book will make you laugh and cry and make you think. From 1906 to 1945 the pages flick through the years of a young man's life. As the landscapes open up before you and the music rings in your ears you will smile at his adventures, feel his pain and share his pleasures. The story will leave you deep in personal thought.

Plaids & Bandanas: From Highland Drover to Wild West Cowboy From droving to driving, reivers to rustlers, heilan kye to long horns, "Plaids and Bandanas" explores the link between the two cattle cultures in music, song and dance, and folklore. The vast number of Scots who emigrated to North America has been well documented, whether through forcible eviction during the clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries, or voluntarily in the hope of a better life. With them they took their culture, their language, their music, and their skills.

Nick Nairn's New Scottish Cookery. Nick Nairn, BBC's hotnew star, brings you 160 new and traditional recipes using the best produce from Scotland. Lavishly illustrated. Clear directions with British and U.S. measurements. Large format gift book. By Nick Nairn, over 100 color photos, hardcover, 254 pages.

Scotland the Best A new edition of this essential guide to all that is excellent about Scotland, whether you live here or are visiting. Thousands of recommendations covering topics including places to stay, best beaches, best hill walks, best spooky places, best seafood, best for kids, best ceilidhs, and much more.

The Quest for the Celtic Key This ground-breaking book explores fresh new perspectives and offers fascinating glimpses into the history of the origin-myth of the Scots, the Declaration of Arbroath, the Celtic saints, Scottish Arthurian traditions, Rosslyn Chapel, and many hidden stories of Scotland's Celtic history. It is compelling reading for anyone interested in the history and traditions of Scotland.

Scots and the Sea This is a compelling account of a small, sparsely populated country's relationship with the most powerful force on earth. It is a celebration of the courage and endurance of fishermen and their families, the selfless bravery of lifeboat volunteers and the individual brilliance of leaders who helped establish free nations across the globe. The illicit activities of scoundrels like Captain Kidd also provide a taste of the darker side of the story.

A Summer in Lochaber The Jacobite Rising of 1689. An army of Gaels under Bonnie Dundee's leadership achieved brilliant vistory at Killiecrankie. Contemporary sources - memoirs, letters and poetry in Latin and Gaelic bring the campaign to life.

Classic Scots Cookery Not only a book on how best to cook and enjoy all the fresh natural produce of this fertile land, but also a wonderful history of the food taking the reader on a journey to the kitchens, inns and fishing villages of the past.

Island Whisky Trail: Scotland's... Hebridean and West Coast Malt Whiskey Distilleries. The essential and most authoritative guide to the Hebridean malt whisky distilleries from Islay, Jura, Mull and Skye (with a stop-off in Oban on the way). History, myth, fact and legend all combine to present a colourful and fascinating portrait of these wonderful islands and their whiskies.

Scotland: Frequently Asked Questions:... What Every Visitor Needs to Know. Years spent as a tour guide in Scotland taught Derrick White a great deal about the expectations of visitors to Scotland. What he found was that it is not tartan and shortbread they are after but gossip, scandal and the answer to the question, 'What makes the Scots tick?'. This irreverent and controversial look at Scottish life will be as revealing to Scots as it is to visitors from abroad.

Grass Will Not Grow on My Grave: The... Story of the Appin Murder. The ghastly figure on the gibbet stood black against the sky. In the high winds, the bones, wired together, rattled as though in a macabre dance of death. In this intriguing book, with a Foreword by Lady Stewart of Appin, Mary McGrigor reveals the startling conclusions of her extensive research into the murder of Colin Campbell of Glenure on Thursday 14th May 1752. Not only did the real murderer evade capture and death, but his status as the son of one of Scotland’s most illustrious heroes has allowed him, until now, to avoid even the shadow of suspicion. The story of the Appin Murder, used as the basis for his novel ‘Kidnapped’ by Robert Louis Stevenson, continues to fascinate and enthral us 250 years after the events unfolded.

“If I am innocent, the grass will not grow on my grave”

Prophesy of Seumas a’ Ghlinne, James of the Glen, before he was hanged on 8th November 1752.

To this day, grass never has grown on his grave ....

Parish Life in Eighteenth-Century... Scotland, In 1790 Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster sent an exhaustive questionnaire to every parish minister in Scotland, covering such diverse subjects as lifestyle, customs, industry, agriculture, geology and wildlife. The results were gathered and published in the 'Old Statistical Account', a massive 20-volume work. Parish Life in Eighteenth-Century Scotland presents a selection of that wealth of material in a lively and accessible form. It is a remarkable and unique insight into the lives of Scottish people from very different parishes, urban and rural, rich and poor, highland and lowland. This book is an essential resource and even includes the original questionnaire.

North and West: A Discovery of the... Landscape of the North & West Highlands and Islands. The natural fault line which separates the north and west of Scotland from the rest of the country also marks the border of an unspoilt ‘wilderness’. Robin Noble takes the reader on an unique journey through this landscape, revealing ancient ruins in the bracken, interpreting what has shaped the landscape, leading us to discover golden eagles, seals, rare flowers and forgotten burial mounds.

A Highland Trilogy: Dan/the Summer Is... Ended/West of the World. A Highland Trilogy, Kenneth C. Steven. This Trilogy by renowned Scottish writer Kenneth Steven contains the best-selling Dan, The Summer is Ended as well as the long-awaited new novel, West of the World. Three journeys by three very different men, and three stories from western Scotland linked by the Highland world in which they are set.

Understanding the Historical Landscape As concern for the countryside becomes ever more serious, and agencies are faced with conflicting objectives, this book focuses on the problems of the cultural landscape as it exists in its environmental setting. It highlights the specific concerns of the archaeologist, the geographer, the countryside planner, the landowner and the forester – examining the efforts these differing bodies are making to understand the environment and illustrating the ways in which each can enrich the other’s understanding and management of the landscape.

Aberdeens Around the World The Scots have been adventurers for centuries, travelling to all corners of the world; Scottish place-names can be found on every continent and ‘Aberdeen’ appears on maps from the coasts and prairies of Canada and America, to ancient China and Australia. From Aberdeen in north-east Scotland, this book takes you on a surprising journey to discover the stories of these other townships which share more than just a name.

Scottish Woodland History Reprinted in response to great demand, this major contribution to the understanding of Scotland’s natural and semi-natural woodland is reprinted in response to overwhelming demand.

Cairngorm Gateway The Cairngorm region is one of Scotland’s major tourist areas, including Aviemore and Strathspey, but little has been written of its people, their history and traditions. This book explores the developments of the past 200–300 years – the Jacobite Rising, the coming of the railways, World Wars I & II, the impact of skiing and tourism – as well as plans for the future. Fully illustrated and exceptionally well researched, this is an essential, highly readable book featuring this strategic part of Scotland.

Stone Voices: The Search for Scotland Myths and legends abound in Scottish history, and Stone Voices does much to unravel some of the truth. It does not claim to be a history in chronological order starting with pre-history until the present, but it is rather a look at the Scottish landscape and what can be learned from the Stone Voices of the title.

Song of the Rolling Earth: A Highland... Odyssey. The inspiring story of the establishment of the Aigas Field Centre. Read and re-read this book, reflect and rejoice.

The Twilight Years of the Trams in... Aberdeen and Dundee. This book is a strikingly illustrated 120 page book which recalls this once familiar mode of transport.

The Scottish Civil War: The Bruces & the...Balliols & the War for Control of Scotland, 1286-1356. This as an enjoyable reappraisal of a tragic, yet endlessly intriguing period of Scottish History, and is easily accessible to the general reader.

A Season in Dornoch: Golf and Life in... the Scottish Highlands. The Royal and Ancient Game. Recollections of an idyllic summer spent golfing in Dornoch.

The Landscape of Scotland This book is for lovers of Scotland and of fine photography. Dividing the country into eight areas, this hardback explores the wild beauty of the Highlands throughout the seasons.

In the Shadow of the Brochs Some 20 leading authorities provide wide-ranging accounts of our knowledge of the Iron Age era - structural remains and other conditions.

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