The inside story of a newspaper and a nation. Five tumultuous decades as they happened.
"This book is a fascinating reminder of Scottish journalism in its heyday. It will be read avidly by those journalists who take pride in their profession - and should be compulsory reading for those that don't."
Jack Webster
"As a rookie reporter you were proud to work on it and proud to be part of it - it was a fine newspaper right at the heartbeat of Scotland.'"
Ronald Neil
"A word for Scotland" was Lord Beaverbrook's hope when he founded the Scottish Daily Express. That word for Scotland quickly became, and was for many years, the national paper of Scotland.
The pages of a Word for Scotland exude warmth and a wry sense of humour. Jack Campbell takes us behind the scenes to meet the larger than life characters and ordinary people who made and recorded the stories. Here we hear the stories behind the stories that hit the headlines in this great yarn of journalism in action.
Jack joined the infant newspaper at the age of 15 as a copy boy and went on to become the managing editor. He remembers the early days of news gathering on a shoestring, the circulation wars, all the scoops and dramas and tragedies through nearly half a century of the most exciting, innovative and competitive years of the press in Scotland. He was with the Scottish Daily express throughout the dramatic events of 1974, which ended the paper's long reign at 195 Albion Street, Glasgow.
It would be true to say 'all life is here'. From the Cheapside Street fire which cost the lives of 19 Glasgow firemen, to the theft of the Stone of Destiny, to the lurid exploits of serial killer Peter Manual, to encounters with world boxing champions Benny Lynch and Cassius Clay - this book offers telling glimpses of the characters, events, joy, and tragedy which make up Scotland's story in the 20th century.
