Scotland's other national tongue has been misunderstood and (officially) mistreated for centuries. Though weakened by long neglect, Scots stubbornly endures as a rich part of Scotland's everyday speech and culture. Now belatedly on the verge of official recognition, can Scots be rehabilitated as a "proper" minority language like Gaelic? Dr Clive Young, author of Unlocking Scots: The Secret Life of the Scots Language, believes so and leads you on a quest to unveil the hidden history, surprising linguistic sophistication and feasible future of the language they just couldn't silence.

I'm ready to declare it the essential book of our times for understanding our relationship with Scots - packed with real world relevance. STEVE BYRNE, Director of TRACS Scotland

The Scots language is the hidden treasure of Scottish culture. For many of us it is still how we speak to each other, how we express our feelings, our humour, even our Scottishness. It was created by millions of voices coming together to share words, phrases, jokes; to understand, act on and often laugh at the world around them.

Aye, but what exactly is ‘Scots’ anyway?
Is it still a language?
Was it ever one?

To answer these and many more questions posed by English and Scots speakers alike, Dr Clive Young sets out to uncover the secret life of Scots – the centuries of vibrant debate and unconscious bilingualism hidden beneath slang and touristy tea-towels.

From 19th-century dictionaries to Twitter rammies, Young explores the evolution, suppression, and potential revitalisation of Scots. He not only investigates its troubled past, but also looks towards the future with hope and a practical action plan that will allow everyone, however estranged from the mither tongue, to keep it hale and hearty for generations to come.

Acause if you dinna dae it, wha wull?

Once bleakly satirical masterpiece on totalitarianism, now Scots Language Book of the Year, George Orwell’s Animal Farm still casts its shadow over everything we think we know about politics, equality and the power of language. Now refreshed and renewed in a stunning new Scots language translation, the book invites us to ask – do words still matter? Can politicians really be trusted? Does Scots still have a place in the modern world? Join translator Thomas Clark on a fascinating journey through Orwell, Scots and the language we use today.

Frae the instant o its first publication ower seeventy year syne, Animal Fairm, in mony weys, has come tae be oor socio-political urtext – oor wan-singer-wan-sang, oor collective pairty piece, the script we’re doomed tae keep repeatin...

George Orwell’s faur-kent novel Animal Fairm, yin o Time magazine’s 100 brawest English-leid novels o aw time, has been translatit intae Scots for the verra first time by Thomas Clark.

When the animals o Manor Fairm cast aff thirldom an tak control frae Mr Jones, they hae howps for a life o freedom an equality. But when the pigs Napoleon and Snawbaw rise tae pouer, the ither animals find oot that they’re mebbe no aw as equal as they’d aince thocht. A tragic political allegory described by Orwell as bein ‘the history o a revolution that went wrang’, this buik is as relevant noo – if no mair sae – as when it wis first set oot.

Join Professor Alan Riach, author of Scottish Literature: An Introduction, for a dynamic encounter with literary luminaries! Explore creativity, unravelling new works, traversing fiction, poetry, paintings, politics and personalities. With free speech silenced or murdered; with 'others' made monstrous by race, religion, nationality, gender; when governments court populism and clickbait media devalues humanity; when politicians streamline lying for votes, malevolent incompetence rules. We’re in trouble. Freedom of expression is Scottish literature’s antidote. Only the arts give trustworthy truths. Such matters are under the spotlight in this thought-provoking session.

Magisterial – THE TIMES

What do we mean by ‘Scottish literature’?
Why does it matter?
How do we engage with it?

Bringing infectious enthusiasm and a lifetime’s experience to bear on this multi-faceted literary nation, Alan Riach, Professor of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow, sets out to guide you through the varied and ever-evolving landscape of Scottish literature.

A comprehensive and extensive work designed not only for scholars but also for the generally curious, Scottish Literature: an introduction tells the tale of Scotland’s many voices across the ages, from Celtic pre-history to modern mass media. Forsaking critical jargon, Riach journeys chronologically through individual works and writers, both the famed and the forgotten, alongside broad overviews of cultural contexts which connect texts to their own times. Expanding the restrictive canon of days gone by, Riach also sets down a new core body of ‘Scottish Literature’: key writers and works in English, Scots, and Gaelic.

Ranging across time and genre, Scottish Literature: an introduction invites you to hear Scotland through her own words.

Unravel the curious case of Agnes Finnie, a mid-17th century shopkeeper in Edinburgh’s Potterrow accused of witchcraft. Shopkeeper, moneylender, healer – was she helping her neighbours or terrorising the neighbourhood? What finally drove the neighbourhood to denounce Agnes as a witch? Dragged from the Potterrow to court, her trial exposed the fear and squalor of life in the tenements, the indifference of Edinburgh’s gentry and the hypocrisy of the Kirk. Historian Mary Craig tells the true story of Agnes Finnie, warts and all.

Agnes Finnie’s story is much more nuanced and more interesting than that of the stereotypical poor defenceless woman persecuted by the Kirk. Through Agnes’ story, the everyday lives of ordinary people struggling to survive are revealed. Scotland became increasingly seen as a land under threat from the Devil and his handmaidens: witches. The women and men who were accused of witchcraft were real people with real lives. This is just one of their stories.

During the 17th century when witch hunts were a daily occurrence, if a woman was arrested and accused of being a witch she would be tried and usually found guilty in a matter of days, even hours. This was not the case for Agnes, a working woman living in the tenements of Edinburgh. Her whole trial was unusual. It took months of deliberation from the jury.

Mary W. Craig explores Agnes’ curious case and provides a fascinating insight into the political and religious tensions that led to Agnes’ burning.

Admit it, Jamaica made Scotland wealthy. Author of Bought and Sold: Scotland, Jamaica and Slavery, Kate Phillips tells the real story of Scotland and slavery. Traders who bought and sold slaves, banks that lent funds, generations of landed families who controlled plantations. Our newspapers and parliamentarians denied Black rights, planters organised and fought Black resistance. Jamaicans won freedom but white propaganda rewrote history.

No human being should be bought and sold… [a] powerful book – SIR GEOFF PALMER

This book traces the story of how and why thousands of Scots made money from buying and selling humans... a story we need to own. We need to admit that many Scots were enthusiastic participants in slavery.

Union with England gave Scotland access to both trade and settlement in Jamaica, Britain’s richest colony and its major slave trading hub. Tens of thousands from Scotland lived and worked there. The abolition campaign and slave revolts threatened Scottish plantation owners, merchants, traders, bankers and insurance brokers who made their fortunes from slave-farmed sugar in Jamaica and fought hard to preserve the system of slavery. Archives and parliamentary papers in both countries reveal these transatlantic Scots in their own words and allow us to access the lives of their captives.

Scotland and Jamaica were closely entwined for over one hundred years. Bought & Sold traces this shared story from its early beginnings in the 1700s to the abolition of slavery in the British Empire and reflects on the meaning of those years for both nations today.

Prepare for an adventure into the mystical depths of Scotland’s ancient past with Stuart McHardy. Go beyond the textbooks and into a realm where ancient tales, monuments and celestial alignments intertwine. Let Stuart, renowned author and folklorist, unveil the secrets hidden in our landscape for millennia. Brace yourself for a journey through time, where echoes of pre-Christian beliefs resonate vibrantly. Unearth clues to our ancestral heritage, revealing a tapestry of wonder that will forever change your perspective on Scotland’s terrain. Don’t miss this transformative experience that ignites curiosity and redefines exploration!

Unravel the curious case of Agnes Finnie, a mid-17th century shopkeeper in Edinburgh’s Potterrow accused of witchcraft. Shopkeeper, moneylender, healer – was she helping her neighbours or terrorising the neighbourhood? What finally drove the neighbourhood to denounce Agnes as a witch? Dragged from the Potterrow to court, her trial exposed the fear and squalor of life in the tenements, the indifference of Edinburgh’s gentry and the hypocrisy of the Kirk. Historian Mary Craig tells the true story of Agnes Finnie, warts and all.

Agnes Finnie’s story is much more nuanced and more interesting than that of the stereotypical poor defenceless woman persecuted by the Kirk. Through Agnes’ story, the everyday lives of ordinary people struggling to survive are revealed. Scotland became increasingly seen as a land under threat from the Devil and his handmaidens: witches. The women and men who were accused of witchcraft were real people with real lives. This is just one of their stories.

During the 17th century when witch hunts were a daily occurrence, if a woman was arrested and accused of being a witch she would be tried and usually found guilty in a matter of days, even hours. This was not the case for Agnes, a working woman living in the tenements of Edinburgh. Her whole trial was unusual. It took months of deliberation from the jury.

Mary W. Craig explores Agnes’ curious case and provides a fascinating insight into the political and religious tensions that led to Agnes’ burning.

From the grandeur of the New Town to the photogenic allure of the Royal Mile to the delights of Leith, what makes Edinburgh so special? Join Roger Emmerson, author of Land of Stone: A Journey Through Modern Architecture in Scotland as he helps you make sense of the jewel in Scotland’s architectural crown. Warning: May contain architectural one-liners.

Wry humour, acute poetics, first-hand experience and deep knowledge of the field…Welcome to a journey of remarkable buildings and remarkable thoughts about these buildings, shaped as they are by deep time, modern ideas and Scottish culture. Readers are sure to see new vistas in the land of stone open before them. - From the Foreword by PROFESSOR Andrew Patrizio

What makes Scottish architecture Scottish?

What ideas drive Scottish architecture?

What has modern architecture in Scotland meant to the Scots?

Ever since the ‘granny-tops’, rattling and clanking in the wind to draw smoke up the tenemental flues from open coal fires, caught his attention as a three-year-old, architecture and its many parts, purposes, processes and procedures has fascinated Roger Emmerson. For him, architecture has always had profound significance.

In Land of Stone he seeks to disengage widely-held conceptions of what a Scottish architecture superficially looks like and to focus on the ideas and events – philosophical, political, practical and personal – that inspired architects and their clients to create the cities, towns, villages and buildings we cherish today.

In poetry and song, award-winning writer/actor/singer Gerda Stevenson presents the remarkable women from her acclaimed book, Quines: Poems in Tribute to Women of Scotland. History seen through the eyes of women, from Neolithic times to the 21st century – scientists, artists, politicians, a martial-arts warrior, a fish-gutter, a salt-seller and the greatest fishing fly-tier in the world! You’ll laugh, cry and learn a lot!

Fabulous – a ground-breaker of a book – Jackie Kay, The Observer

Inspiring – The Sunday Herald

...that great unsung heroine of modern Scottish culture, Gerda Stevenson. The National

Quines: Poems in tribute to women of Scotland gives voice to 57 women from BC to the 21st century. The ‘voices’ of the poems range from those of the women featured, to inanimate objects – queens, politicians, a ship, a fish gutter, scientists, a mountain, sportswomen (including a whole football team) and many more.  QUINES celebrates the richly diverse contribution women have made to Scottish history and society.

Join Professor Alan Riach, author of Scottish Literature: An Introduction, for a dynamic encounter with literary luminaries! Explore creativity, unravelling new works, traversing fiction, poetry, paintings, politics and personalities. With free speech silenced or murdered; with 'others' made monstrous by race, religion, nationality, gender; when governments court populism and clickbait media devalues humanity; when politicians streamline lying for votes, malevolent incompetence rules. We’re in trouble. Freedom of expression is Scottish literature’s antidote. Only the arts give trustworthy truths. Such matters are under the spotlight in this thought-provoking session.

Magisterial – THE TIMES

What do we mean by ‘Scottish literature’?
Why does it matter?
How do we engage with it?

Bringing infectious enthusiasm and a lifetime’s experience to bear on this multi-faceted literary nation, Alan Riach, Professor of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow, sets out to guide you through the varied and ever-evolving landscape of Scottish literature.

A comprehensive and extensive work designed not only for scholars but also for the generally curious, Scottish Literature: an introduction tells the tale of Scotland’s many voices across the ages, from Celtic pre-history to modern mass media. Forsaking critical jargon, Riach journeys chronologically through individual works and writers, both the famed and the forgotten, alongside broad overviews of cultural contexts which connect texts to their own times. Expanding the restrictive canon of days gone by, Riach also sets down a new core body of ‘Scottish Literature’: key writers and works in English, Scots, and Gaelic.

Ranging across time and genre, Scottish Literature: an introduction invites you to hear Scotland through her own words.

Unravel the curious case of Agnes Finnie, a mid-17th century shopkeeper in Edinburgh’s Potterrow accused of witchcraft. Shopkeeper, moneylender, healer – was she helping her neighbours or terrorising the neighbourhood? What finally drove the neighbourhood to denounce Agnes as a witch? Dragged from the Potterrow to court, her trial exposed the fear and squalor of life in the tenements, the indifference of Edinburgh’s gentry and the hypocrisy of the Kirk. Historian Mary Craig tells the true story of Agnes Finnie, warts and all.

Agnes Finnie’s story is much more nuanced and more interesting than that of the stereotypical poor defenceless woman persecuted by the Kirk. Through Agnes’ story, the everyday lives of ordinary people struggling to survive are revealed. Scotland became increasingly seen as a land under threat from the Devil and his handmaidens: witches. The women and men who were accused of witchcraft were real people with real lives. This is just one of their stories.

During the 17th century when witch hunts were a daily occurrence, if a woman was arrested and accused of being a witch she would be tried and usually found guilty in a matter of days, even hours. This was not the case for Agnes, a working woman living in the tenements of Edinburgh. Her whole trial was unusual. It took months of deliberation from the jury.

Mary W. Craig explores Agnes’ curious case and provides a fascinating insight into the political and religious tensions that led to Agnes’ burning.

Choose Life. Choose Leith. Choose a walking tour through Leith’s heart, dissecting Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting – the book, the movie and the play. Uncover the layers of this iconic phenomenon. This journey offers a unique perspective on Leith’s past and present, weaving narratives of struggle, resilience and transformation. An unforgettable exploration of the intersections of literature, culture and place. Expect well-researched erudition, lived-experience testimony and street-level wisdom from former Port of Leith chaplain Tim Bell who has been leading Leith Walks Trainspotting tours for over 20 years.

Top tour – SUNDAY TIMES

By examining the book, the play and the film, Choose Life, Choose Leith both critically analyses the Trainspotting phenomenon in its various forms, and contextualises the importance of the location of Leith and the culture of 1980s Britain. Looking in detail at the history of Leith, the drug culture, the spread of HIV/AIDs, and how Trainspotting affected drug policy, Leith and the Scottish identity, the book highlights the importance of Trainspotting. Choose Life, Choose Leith acts as a reference book, a record of the times and a background as to the history that led to the real-life situation and the publication of the book.

Unravel the curious case of Agnes Finnie, a mid-17th century shopkeeper in Edinburgh’s Potterrow accused of witchcraft. Shopkeeper, moneylender, healer – was she helping her neighbours or terrorising the neighbourhood? What finally drove the neighbourhood to denounce Agnes as a witch? Dragged from the Potterrow to court, her trial exposed the fear and squalor of life in the tenements, the indifference of Edinburgh’s gentry and the hypocrisy of the Kirk. Historian Mary Craig tells the true story of Agnes Finnie, warts and all.

Agnes Finnie’s story is much more nuanced and more interesting than that of the stereotypical poor defenceless woman persecuted by the Kirk. Through Agnes’ story, the everyday lives of ordinary people struggling to survive are revealed. Scotland became increasingly seen as a land under threat from the Devil and his handmaidens: witches. The women and men who were accused of witchcraft were real people with real lives. This is just one of their stories.

During the 17th century when witch hunts were a daily occurrence, if a woman was arrested and accused of being a witch she would be tried and usually found guilty in a matter of days, even hours. This was not the case for Agnes, a working woman living in the tenements of Edinburgh. Her whole trial was unusual. It took months of deliberation from the jury.

Mary W. Craig explores Agnes’ curious case and provides a fascinating insight into the political and religious tensions that led to Agnes’ burning.

Choose Life. Choose Leith. Choose a walking tour through Leith’s heart, dissecting Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting – the book, the movie and the play. Uncover the layers of this iconic phenomenon. This journey offers a unique perspective on Leith’s past and present, weaving narratives of struggle, resilience and transformation. An unforgettable exploration of the intersections of literature, culture and place. Expect well-researched erudition, lived-experience testimony and street-level wisdom from former Port of Leith chaplain Tim Bell who has been leading Leith Walks Trainspotting tours for over 20 years.

Top tour – SUNDAY TIMES

By examining the book, the play and the film, Choose Life, Choose Leith both critically analyses the Trainspotting phenomenon in its various forms, and contextualises the importance of the location of Leith and the culture of 1980s Britain. Looking in detail at the history of Leith, the drug culture, the spread of HIV/AIDs, and how Trainspotting affected drug policy, Leith and the Scottish identity, the book highlights the importance of Trainspotting. Choose Life, Choose Leith acts as a reference book, a record of the times and a background as to the history that led to the real-life situation and the publication of the book.

Well, hello there, Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie! With award-winning author, storyteller and drama teacher Barbara Henderson, the Stuarts leap from the page in this family-friendly interactive session that puts the story back into history. Travel back in time with readings, games and interactive drama sure to ignite a love of Scotland's past in young and old alike. Jacobite jeopardy? Renaissance witchery? We’re in! Best for ages 7 to 13, all children must be accompanied by an adult.

No.
Not the Palace.
Anywhere but the Palace.

12-year-old Alexander Buchan was once content, training as a falconer at Strathbogie Castle in Huntly. But when his Earl sends him to Edinburgh to the court of the newly arrived Mary, Queen of Scots, the boy finds himself lured into a world of intrigue, terror and treachery. Alexander knows right from wrong, but how can he hope to outwit his master's murderous messenger'? Surely no one can defy an Earl – especially one whose wife is rumoured to be a witch!

Soon, more than the boy’s own life is at stake: his friend Lizzie is arrested and the angry clouds of Reformation Scotland gather around the young Queen.

It seems that Alexander must spy – or die.

There it is again, hope. The defeat and the despair I can stand, but it’s the hope that kills me, as if the Cause wasn’t lost, as if Father hadn’t died in vain. As if any one of us could possibly come out of this alive…

Following the death of his father, 13-year-old Archie MacDonald has lost faith in the Jacobite Cause. Having witnessed their clan’s terrible defeat at the Battle of Culloden, Archie and his feisty cousin Meg flee back to Lochaber to lie low.

Or so they think.

Until the fugitive Prince’s life depends on them.

When Prince Charles Edward Stuart looks to the people of Borrodale for help, will the young stable boy support the rebellion that has cost him so dearly?

With enemies closing in, the Prince’s fate now rests in the hands of a stable boy and a maid with a white cockade.

Who will survive this deadly game of hide-and-seek?

The iconic red railway bridge has spanned the Forth since 1890. Think you know the Forth Bridge? Think again! Its inaugural writer-in-residence, award-winning author Barbara Henderson, takes us behind the scenes at the much-loved structure with surprising stories of enthusiasts, professionals, residents, researchers, souvenir sellers, lifesavers, train drivers, writers, lovebirds and volunteers. Don’t miss the chance to hear of narrow escapes, crazy capers, secrets and storms as featured in Our Forth Bridge: Made from Girders.

It’s OUR bridge.

Scotland’s famous Forth Bridge spans more than a body of water. It connects centuries, communities, land and sea, past and present.

However, beyond the famous red struts and lattices lies a varied and lively community, every bit as interconnected and interdependent as the girders of the bridge itself. Just like the six-and-a-half million rivets holding the Forth Bridge together, there are countless points of contact between the people who form the Forth Bridge community in its widest sense: engineers and environmentalists, managers, model makers, construction workers, campaigners, tour guides and train drivers.

Writer Barbara Henderson and photographer Alan McCredie lift the curtain on the people who work on the bridge, promote the bridge, protect the bridge, live by it, or play a significant

part in its story.

One sentiment unites them all.

In one way or another, they all claim ‘the Bridge’ as their own.

From David Hume to Robert Burns, Blind Harry to Muriel Spark, James Boswell to Margaret Oliphant, meet the congenial ghosts of famous Edinburgh writers at their fireside, and hear lost voices live again – poets, diarists, storytellers and philosophers. Happy literature hour, hosted by author and playwright, Donald Smith. Each session will celebrate writers from a different century – 1400s, 1500s, 1700s, 1800s and 1900s. These events mark the 900th anniversary of Edinburgh, and 20 years since it became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature.

From Hillsborough to Grenfell, the Anti-Apartheid Movement to the Miners’ Strike, hear the inspiring tales of 30 years of social justice campaigns. What can we learn from these campaigns? How can we inspire campaigners of today to fight for a future based on fairness, dignity, equality, justice, co-operation and solidarity? Former MSP and author of If You Don’t Run, They Can’t Chase You, Neil Findlay leads you in an hour of political debate and lively discussion.

We must examine the campaigns and struggles people have gone through, listen to their stories, study their actions and in turn look at the world now, and apply what we have learnt to build new movements to campaign and deliver the changes we want to see.

Neil Findlay brings together stories from the frontline in the fight for social justice in the awe-inspiring compendium, If You Don’t Run, They Can’t Chase You.

Some of the actions recorded were victorious, some were not; but all of them are an opportunity to learn about the human spirit, about promoting and defending ideals and principles, about personal strength, collective action, leadership, justice, democracy and common decency.

With contributions from Alistair Mackie, Jim Swan, Brian Filling, Maria Fyfe, Dave Smith, Dennis Skinner, Alex Bennett, Tony Nelson, Mark Lyon, 'Andrea', Margaret Aspinall, Yvette Williams, Elaine Holmes, Olive McIlroy, Paul Quigley, and Louise Taggart.

This collection has been brought together to help us better understand the shoulders on which we stand today and how to make the world a better place.

From David Hume to Robert Burns, Blind Harry to Muriel Spark, James Boswell to Margaret Oliphant, meet the congenial ghosts of famous Edinburgh writers at their fireside, and hear lost voices live again – poets, diarists, storytellers and philosophers. Happy literature hour, hosted by author and playwright, Donald Smith. Each session will celebrate writers from a different century – 1400s, 1500s, 1700s, 1800s and 1900s. These events mark the 900th anniversary of Edinburgh, and 20 years since it became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature.

People, locations, nature – Bashabi Fraser deftly challenges conventions in her poetry, weaving her dual cultural experiences into a tapestry of interconnectedness. Join her on a journey exploring the vast terrain of human existence to really appreciate and understand what makes up our habitats. From the intricate landscapes of nature to the nuances of cultural duality, Fraser’s work challenges conventions and beckons readers to ponder their own journeys and connections. Whether it be the past, present or future, our habitats create a profound connection to the world around us.

We inhabit everything that comes our way: people, places, nature. Writing itself is our habitat. It is this space that Bashabi Fraser that explores in her new collection Habitat.

These poems challenge our understanding of rules and form when it comes to poetry. Bashabi plays with the duality that her life has instructed her with – through having lived in two different countries, experiencing two different cultures – yet allowing the parallels to still come through. At its core, this collection is about our journeys – where we have been, where we are going, and what we are moving through. It is all about our habitats and our connection to them. 

Why did four young men put their lives on the line to fight fascism in Spain with the International Brigades in 1936? How did they end up in the same prison cell? James Maley, Donald Renton, Geordie Watters and AC Williams were politically engaged young men in an era of global turmoil. They shared a vision for a better society and recognised the threat of the rise of fascism. Willy and Jennie frame the relevance of their fathers' fight in terms of the social justice challenges we face today.

A resonant piece of working class history, this book is a living link to four extraordinary stories. Why did these young men put their lives on the line and go to Spain to fight with the International Brigades? How did they all end up in the same prison cell? And what is their legacy today?

James Maley, George Watters, Donald Renton and Archibald Williams were members of Machine Gun Company No. 2 of the XV International Brigade. This is the first book to focus on a small group of men who, from different starting-points, ended up on the same battleground at Jarama, and then in the same prisons after capture by Franco’s forces.

Their remarkable story is told both in their own words and in the recollections of their sons and daughters, through a prison notebook, newspaper reports, stills cut from newsreels, interviews, anecdotes and memories, with a foreword by Daniel Gray.

Our Fathers Fought Franco is a collective biography that promises to add significantly to the understanding of the motives of those who ‘went because their open eyes could see no other way’.

Close a pit, kill a community. Forty years on, Scots poet Rab Wilson relives the events of the 1984-85 UK Miners' Strike. His powerful poems seethe with rage, anger, passion and pity, a testament to the working-class struggle. Having toiled in Scotland’s mining industry for eight years, Rab emerges as an essential chronicler of a culture and way of life destroyed by Thatcherism.

Forty years on from the 1984–85 uk Miners’ Strike, the largest union-led industrial action in the 20th century, Rab Wilson – a former miner deeply entrenched in the strike – delivers a powerful narrative through his mining poems and strike diary, addressing contemporary social and economic issues in Scotland and the uk then and now.

Having toiled in Scotland’s mining industry for eight years, Rab provides an authentic voice that resonates with the struggles faced during the strike, vividly captured from his involvement between 12 March 1984 and 5 March 1985. This book serves as a testament to the working-class struggle, offering a unique perspective on the historical significance of Scotland’s mining industry, skillfully expressed by a poet intimately connected to it. Rab Wilson emerges as an essential chronicler, ensuring the legacy of the miners’ challenging strike endures in the pages of this evocative and timely work.

Collier Laddie is an ode to resilience, solidarity and the enduring legacy of those who fought for justice during a pivotal moment in industrial history.

From David Hume to Robert Burns, Blind Harry to Muriel Spark, James Boswell to Margaret Oliphant, meet the congenial ghosts of famous Edinburgh writers at their fireside, and hear lost voices live again – poets, diarists, storytellers and philosophers. Happy literature hour, hosted by author and playwright, Donald Smith. Each session will celebrate writers from a different century – 1400s, 1500s, 1700s, 1800s and 1900s. These events mark the 900th anniversary of Edinburgh, and 20 years since it became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature.

From the grandeur of the New Town to the photogenic allure of the Royal Mile to the delights of Leith, what makes Edinburgh so special? Join Roger Emmerson, author of Land of Stone: A Journey Through Modern Architecture in Scotland as he helps you make sense of the jewel in Scotland’s architectural crown. Warning: May contain architectural one-liners.

Wry humour, acute poetics, first-hand experience and deep knowledge of the field…Welcome to a journey of remarkable buildings and remarkable thoughts about these buildings, shaped as they are by deep time, modern ideas and Scottish culture. Readers are sure to see new vistas in the land of stone open before them. - From the Foreword by PROFESSOR Andrew Patrizio

What makes Scottish architecture Scottish?

What ideas drive Scottish architecture?

What has modern architecture in Scotland meant to the Scots?

Ever since the ‘granny-tops’, rattling and clanking in the wind to draw smoke up the tenemental flues from open coal fires, caught his attention as a three-year-old, architecture and its many parts, purposes, processes and procedures has fascinated Roger Emmerson. For him, architecture has always had profound significance.

In Land of Stone he seeks to disengage widely-held conceptions of what a Scottish architecture superficially looks like and to focus on the ideas and events – philosophical, political, practical and personal – that inspired architects and their clients to create the cities, towns, villages and buildings we cherish today.

For Edinburgh Festival and Fringe legend Richard Demarco, the history of Scotland begins in the words of the great medieval poets Henryson and Dunbar, the composer Robert Carver and the Scotichronicon, the first important history of Scotland written by Walter Bower. Demarco’s Edinburgh Arts programme, Sandy Moffat’s portraiture and Alan Riach’s work on Scottish literature all follow in their footsteps. These three great patrons of Scottish culture come together for a rambling and enlightening discussion on the state of the Edinburgh festivals and Scotland as a whole.

The Edinburgh Festival of those days was a much more accessible village... The ground rules were well enough understood. Everything about it was containable. The Fringe was the seed bed for talent and ran happily in step with its established elders and betters. They both knew their place.

But then something equally remarkable was about to take place in the New Town of the city I knew and loved...

1947. The beginning of the Edinburgh Festival and Richard Demarco – later to become gallery director, artist and teacher – is at the heart of it and has been every year since.

The same year, Roddy Martine is born. In 1963 when, at the age of sixteen, he interviewed Sir Yehudi Menuhin and David Frost for an Edinburgh Festival magazine he edited and the following year, met Marlene Dietrich.

Both Richard and Roddy have unique perspectives on the most remarkable international festival of the arts the world has ever known. They have witnessed its evolution over the years and are passionate believers in the power of creativity within everyone.

In this fascinating book, Richard – the 2013 UK recipient of the Citizen of Europe medal – explores the original world vision of Sir John Falconer and Rudolph Bing and, with Roddy, recalls the highs and lows of The Edinburgh International Festival, The Fringe, Art, Book, Jazz and Television Festivals, and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Join Scottish supermodel Eunice Olumide MBE as she discusses everything you want to know about the fashion industry – do's and don'ts, sustainability, greenwashing, brands gone rogue, who's really in charge, what really goes on backstage. Discover how fashion has changed people's lives throughout the ages and how it can be used as an agent to subvert the norm.

She proves that you can engage and develop various elements of her career and protect the rights of others… one of the most famous activists in the modelling world. – VOGUE

Interested in working in the fashion industry?
Do you want to be a model, designer, photographer or stylist?
Want a rare look at the industry from the inside?

Supermodel Eunice Olumide MBE was signed when she was just 16. She has since graced catwalks all over the world, working with top design powerhouses including Christopher Kane, Harris Tweed, Alexander McQueen, and Mulberry.

How to Get into Fashion is for you, whether you are looking to become a model or wish to pursue one of the many other careers
in fashion – or just want to know what goes on behind the scenes. With stunning photographs and the knowledge of someone who’s been there and done it, this is your essential guide to the industry.

From David Hume to Robert Burns, Blind Harry to Muriel Spark, James Boswell to Margaret Oliphant, meet the congenial ghosts of famous Edinburgh writers at their fireside, and hear lost voices live again – poets, diarists, storytellers and philosophers. Happy literature hour, hosted by author and playwright, Donald Smith. Each session will celebrate writers from a different century – 1400s, 1500s, 1700s, 1800s and 1900s. These events mark the 900th anniversary of Edinburgh, and 20 years since it became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature.

Choose Life. Choose Leith. Choose a walking tour through Leith’s heart, dissecting Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting – the book, the movie and the play. Uncover the layers of this iconic phenomenon. This journey offers a unique perspective on Leith’s past and present, weaving narratives of struggle, resilience and transformation. An unforgettable exploration of the intersections of literature, culture and place. Expect well-researched erudition, lived-experience testimony and street-level wisdom from former Port of Leith chaplain Tim Bell who has been leading Leith Walks Trainspotting tours for over 20 years. ‘Top tour’ (Sunday Times).

By examining the book, the play and the film, Choose Life, Choose Leith both critically analyses the Trainspotting phenomenon in its various forms, and contextualises the importance of the location of Leith and the culture of 1980s Britain. Looking in detail at the history of Leith, the drug culture, the spread of HIV/AIDs, and how Trainspotting affected drug policy, Leith and the Scottish identity, the book highlights the importance of Trainspotting. Choose Life, Choose Leith acts as a reference book, a record of the times and a background as to the history that led to the real-life situation and the publication of the book.

From David Hume to Robert Burns, Blind Harry to Muriel Spark, James Boswell to Margaret Oliphant, meet the congenial ghosts of famous Edinburgh writers at their fireside, and hear lost voices live again – poets, diarists, storytellers and philosophers. Happy literature hour, hosted by author and playwright, Donald Smith. Each session will celebrate writers from a different century – 1400s, 1500s, 1700s, 1800s and 1900s. These events mark the 900th anniversary of Edinburgh, and 20 years since it became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature.

Choose Life. Choose Leith. Choose a walking tour through Leith’s heart, dissecting Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting – the book, the movie and the play. Uncover the layers of this iconic phenomenon. This journey offers a unique perspective on Leith’s past and present, weaving narratives of struggle, resilience and transformation. An unforgettable exploration of the intersections of literature, culture and place. Expect well-researched erudition, lived-experience testimony and street-level wisdom from former Port of Leith chaplain Tim Bell who has been leading Leith Walks Trainspotting tours for over 20 years.

Top tour – SUNDAY TIMES

By examining the book, the play and the film, Choose Life, Choose Leith both critically analyses the Trainspotting phenomenon in its various forms, and contextualises the importance of the location of Leith and the culture of 1980s Britain. Looking in detail at the history of Leith, the drug culture, the spread of HIV/AIDs, and how Trainspotting affected drug policy, Leith and the Scottish identity, the book highlights the importance of Trainspotting. Choose Life, Choose Leith acts as a reference book, a record of the times and a background as to the history that led to the real-life situation and the publication of the book.

Whit if Alexander 111 haed Twitter?

Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?

Whit if the Haggis addrest itsel?

Whit if Jacques Brel haed jyned the Corries?

Poet and historian Hugh McMillan ponders history as it might have been in a reading/ramble/discussion based on Whit If: Scottish History as it micht hae been, poems in Scots with illustrations by Bob Dewar. The unlikely, the impossible and the downright absurd come to life.

A confused knowledge of Scottish history is essential before coming in. And on leaving.

Hugh McMillan’s first collection in Scots, Whit if? poses the questions that you never thought to ask about Scottish history like ‘Whit if Alexander haed Twitter?’, ‘Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?’ and ‘Whit if Jacques Brel haed jynt the Corries?’

As both poet and long-time student of Scotland’s strange and undervalued history, McMillan is the ideal guide to all the micht-hiv-bins of Scottish history, as well as all that wis. Humour is guaranteed, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be digging up many an educational gem along the way!

There’s a room in the Tate where the goths go

And solitary men of the cloth know

That there they can tune

Into black on maroon

And swoon in the gloom of a Rothko.

All you’ll ever need to know about art served up in hilarious, bite-sized and rhyming mouthfuls, dripping with the venom of a Marxist / feminist / queer point of view. From the first cave paintings to Tracey Emin, via little-known women and eminent homosexuals, this show comes with a warning: Art may contain nudity!

Art History, but not as we know it. Smart, sharp and witty, The History of Art in 100 Limericks gives a unique twist to Art History, summing up the work of well-known figures in five succinct (and strictly rhyming) lines…

Among poetic forms, the limerick is the happy hand-grenade: short, funny and explosive. To take the name of an artist and to find the perfect rhyme is to make a memorable and enduring association, and Angus Reid has done so to share the joke, and to share a passion for Art. In this first volume of four, he lobs his first barrage of twenty five into the solemn temples.

The book itself is a beautiful miniature gallery, a pleasure to look at, and to touch. With delicate trompe l’oeil, the limericks are attached with paperclips to an impressive array of old masters. The discovery that enabled this act of gentle subversion is the precedent, following the case of Bridgeman Art Library vs Corel Corp (1999), that galleries cannot copyright ‘slavish’ reproductions of art. This has put the entire canon of dead artists at the disposal of these volumes; and for those whose work is still in copyright the book enacts a cunning game of hide and seek with what we know of them.

Whit if Alexander 111 haed Twitter?

Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?

Whit if the Haggis addrest itsel?

Whit if Jacques Brel haed jyned the Corries?

Poet and historian Hugh McMillan ponders history as it might have been in a reading/ramble/discussion based on Whit If: Scottish History as it micht hae been, poems in Scots with illustrations by Bob Dewar. The unlikely, the impossible and the downright absurd come to life.

A confused knowledge of Scottish history is essential before coming in. And on leaving.

Hugh McMillan’s first collection in Scots, Whit if? poses the questions that you never thought to ask about Scottish history like ‘Whit if Alexander haed Twitter?’, ‘Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?’ and ‘Whit if Jacques Brel haed jynt the Corries?’

As both poet and long-time student of Scotland’s strange and undervalued history, McMillan is the ideal guide to all the micht-hiv-bins of Scottish history, as well as all that wis. Humour is guaranteed, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be digging up many an educational gem along the way!

Who saw the Queen’s Bahookie? Which castle had an annual rent of one red rose? Which maiden was most feared by Scottish aristocrats? Which job is worse – turnbrochie or pigeon-plucker? Which castle is associated with flying cows? What treasure was brought to the surface by a mole? Who would want to marry Archibald the Grim? Robin turns his poetic and storytelling attention to tales he found in various crumbling castle walls; the plotting and shenanigans of royals and aristocrats over centuries, and a few other titbits.

 The Queen’s Bahoukie invites readers on a captivating odyssey through the mystical castles of Scotland, unveiling secrets and tales that transcend time. Each story paints a vivid portrait of Scotland’s wonders.

In this poetic and historical journey, the crumbling walls of these fortresses come alive with the echoes of love, loyalty, drama, bravery and tragedy. Become witnesses to the other-worldliness concealed within the ancient stones and hidden chambers.

There’s a room in the Tate where the goths go

And solitary men of the cloth know

That there they can tune

Into black on maroon

And swoon in the gloom of a Rothko.

All you’ll ever need to know about art served up in hilarious, bite-sized and rhyming mouthfuls, dripping with the venom of a Marxist / feminist / queer point of view. From the first cave paintings to Tracey Emin, via little-known women and eminent homosexuals, this show comes with a warning: Art may contain nudity!

Art History, but not as we know it. Smart, sharp and witty, The History of Art in 100 Limericks gives a unique twist to Art History, summing up the work of well-known figures in five succinct (and strictly rhyming) lines…

Among poetic forms, the limerick is the happy hand-grenade: short, funny and explosive. To take the name of an artist and to find the perfect rhyme is to make a memorable and enduring association, and Angus Reid has done so to share the joke, and to share a passion for Art. In this first volume of four, he lobs his first barrage of twenty five into the solemn temples.

The book itself is a beautiful miniature gallery, a pleasure to look at, and to touch. With delicate trompe l’oeil, the limericks are attached with paperclips to an impressive array of old masters. The discovery that enabled this act of gentle subversion is the precedent, following the case of Bridgeman Art Library vs Corel Corp (1999), that galleries cannot copyright ‘slavish’ reproductions of art. This has put the entire canon of dead artists at the disposal of these volumes; and for those whose work is still in copyright the book enacts a cunning game of hide and seek with what we know of them.

Whit if Alexander 111 haed Twitter?

Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?

Whit if the Haggis addrest itsel?

Whit if Jacques Brel haed jyned the Corries?

Poet and historian Hugh McMillan ponders history as it might have been in a reading/ramble/discussion based on Whit If: Scottish History as it micht hae been, poems in Scots with illustrations by Bob Dewar. The unlikely, the impossible and the downright absurd come to life.

A confused knowledge of Scottish history is essential before coming in. And on leaving.

Hugh McMillan’s first collection in Scots, Whit if? poses the questions that you never thought to ask about Scottish history like ‘Whit if Alexander haed Twitter?’, ‘Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?’ and ‘Whit if Jacques Brel haed jynt the Corries?’

As both poet and long-time student of Scotland’s strange and undervalued history, McMillan is the ideal guide to all the micht-hiv-bins of Scottish history, as well as all that wis. Humour is guaranteed, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be digging up many an educational gem along the way!

There’s a room in the Tate where the goths go

And solitary men of the cloth know

That there they can tune

Into black on maroon

And swoon in the gloom of a Rothko.

All you’ll ever need to know about art served up in hilarious, bite-sized and rhyming mouthfuls, dripping with the venom of a Marxist / feminist / queer point of view. From the first cave paintings to Tracey Emin, via little-known women and eminent homosexuals, this show comes with a warning: Art may contain nudity!

Art History, but not as we know it. Smart, sharp and witty, The History of Art in 100 Limericks gives a unique twist to Art History, summing up the work of well-known figures in five succinct (and strictly rhyming) lines…

Among poetic forms, the limerick is the happy hand-grenade: short, funny and explosive. To take the name of an artist and to find the perfect rhyme is to make a memorable and enduring association, and Angus Reid has done so to share the joke, and to share a passion for Art. In this first volume of four, he lobs his first barrage of twenty five into the solemn temples.

The book itself is a beautiful miniature gallery, a pleasure to look at, and to touch. With delicate trompe l’oeil, the limericks are attached with paperclips to an impressive array of old masters. The discovery that enabled this act of gentle subversion is the precedent, following the case of Bridgeman Art Library vs Corel Corp (1999), that galleries cannot copyright ‘slavish’ reproductions of art. This has put the entire canon of dead artists at the disposal of these volumes; and for those whose work is still in copyright the book enacts a cunning game of hide and seek with what we know of them.

Whit if Alexander 111 haed Twitter?

Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?

Whit if the Haggis addrest itsel?

Whit if Jacques Brel haed jyned the Corries?

Poet and historian Hugh McMillan ponders history as it might have been in a reading/ramble/discussion based on Whit If: Scottish History as it micht hae been, poems in Scots with illustrations by Bob Dewar. The unlikely, the impossible and the downright absurd come to life.

A confused knowledge of Scottish history is essential before coming in. And on leaving.

Hugh McMillan’s first collection in Scots, Whit if? poses the questions that you never thought to ask about Scottish history like ‘Whit if Alexander haed Twitter?’, ‘Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?’ and ‘Whit if Jacques Brel haed jynt the Corries?’

As both poet and long-time student of Scotland’s strange and undervalued history, McMillan is the ideal guide to all the micht-hiv-bins of Scottish history, as well as all that wis. Humour is guaranteed, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be digging up many an educational gem along the way!

Did football originate in Scotland? Does Argentina owe it all to the Gorbals? Was the first floodlight a searchlight? Did Scotland really ban women? Follow the Spiders, count the Hampden Parks, hear about Scotland’s part in the explosion of world football. With poetry from terracing, goalmouths, David Marshall’s left hand and the road to the Euros, hear from the women who defied the ban and the humble bowling club that holds the secrets of the Scotch Professors. Stuff that hasn’t made the history books... till now. We’re taking the baw back hame.

With a pen dipped in passion, McNeill explores the# emotional landscape of football, bringing to life the highs and lows, triumphs and tribulations that define the beautiful game in Scotland.

Her verses transport readers to the electric atmosphere of packed stadiums, where every cheer and roar reverberates through the pages. With eloquence and insight, We Are Scottish Football stands as a poetic tribute, capturing the soul-stirring drama and unwavering devotion that make Scottish football an enduring and enchanting spectacle.

There’s a room in the Tate where the goths go

And solitary men of the cloth know

That there they can tune

Into black on maroon

And swoon in the gloom of a Rothko.

All you’ll ever need to know about art served up in hilarious, bite-sized and rhyming mouthfuls, dripping with the venom of a Marxist / feminist / queer point of view. From the first cave paintings to Tracey Emin, via little-known women and eminent homosexuals, this show comes with a warning: Art may contain nudity!

Art History, but not as we know it. Smart, sharp and witty, The History of Art in 100 Limericks gives a unique twist to Art History, summing up the work of well-known figures in five succinct (and strictly rhyming) lines…

Among poetic forms, the limerick is the happy hand-grenade: short, funny and explosive. To take the name of an artist and to find the perfect rhyme is to make a memorable and enduring association, and Angus Reid has done so to share the joke, and to share a passion for Art. In this first volume of four, he lobs his first barrage of twenty five into the solemn temples.

The book itself is a beautiful miniature gallery, a pleasure to look at, and to touch. With delicate trompe l’oeil, the limericks are attached with paperclips to an impressive array of old masters. The discovery that enabled this act of gentle subversion is the precedent, following the case of Bridgeman Art Library vs Corel Corp (1999), that galleries cannot copyright ‘slavish’ reproductions of art. This has put the entire canon of dead artists at the disposal of these volumes; and for those whose work is still in copyright the book enacts a cunning game of hide and seek with what we know of them.

Choose Life. Choose Leith. Choose a walking tour through Leith’s heart, dissecting Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting – the book, the movie and the play. Uncover the layers of this iconic phenomenon. This journey offers a unique perspective on Leith’s past and present, weaving narratives of struggle, resilience and transformation. An unforgettable exploration of the intersections of literature, culture and place. Expect well-researched erudition, lived-experience testimony and street-level wisdom from former Port of Leith chaplain Tim Bell who has been leading Leith Walks Trainspotting tours for over 20 years.

Top tour – SUNDAY TIMES

By examining the book, the play and the film, Choose Life, Choose Leith both critically analyses the Trainspotting phenomenon in its various forms, and contextualises the importance of the location of Leith and the culture of 1980s Britain. Looking in detail at the history of Leith, the drug culture, the spread of HIV/AIDs, and how Trainspotting affected drug policy, Leith and the Scottish identity, the book highlights the importance of Trainspotting. Choose Life, Choose Leith acts as a reference book, a record of the times and a background as to the history that led to the real-life situation and the publication of the book.

Whit if Alexander 111 haed Twitter?

Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?

Whit if the Haggis addrest itsel?

Whit if Jacques Brel haed jyned the Corries?

Poet and historian Hugh McMillan ponders history as it might have been in a reading/ramble/discussion based on Whit If: Scottish History as it micht hae been, poems in Scots with illustrations by Bob Dewar. The unlikely, the impossible and the downright absurd come to life.

A confused knowledge of Scottish history is essential before coming in. And on leaving.

Hugh McMillan’s first collection in Scots, Whit if? poses the questions that you never thought to ask about Scottish history like ‘Whit if Alexander haed Twitter?’, ‘Whit if John Knox haed fawen in luve wi Mary Queen o Scots?’ and ‘Whit if Jacques Brel haed jynt the Corries?’

As both poet and long-time student of Scotland’s strange and undervalued history, McMillan is the ideal guide to all the micht-hiv-bins of Scottish history, as well as all that wis. Humour is guaranteed, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be digging up many an educational gem along the way!

Did football originate in Scotland? Does Argentina owe it all to the Gorbals? Was the first floodlight a searchlight? Did Scotland really ban women? Follow the Spiders, count the Hampden Parks, hear about Scotland’s part in the explosion of world football. With poetry from terracing, goalmouths, David Marshall’s left hand and the road to the Euros, hear from the women who defied the ban and the humble bowling club that holds the secrets of the Scotch Professors. Stuff that hasn’t made the history books... till now. We’re taking the baw back hame..

With a pen dipped in passion, McNeill explores the# emotional landscape of football, bringing to life the highs and lows, triumphs and tribulations that define the beautiful game in Scotland.

Her verses transport readers to the electric atmosphere of packed stadiums, where every cheer and roar reverberates through the pages. With eloquence and insight, We Are Scottish Football stands as a poetic tribute, capturing the soul-stirring drama and unwavering devotion that make Scottish football an enduring and enchanting spectacle.

There’s a room in the Tate where the goths go

And solitary men of the cloth know

That there they can tune

Into black on maroon

And swoon in the gloom of a Rothko.

All you’ll ever need to know about art served up in hilarious, bite-sized and rhyming mouthfuls, dripping with the venom of a Marxist / feminist / queer point of view. From the first cave paintings to Tracey Emin, via little-known women and eminent homosexuals, this show comes with a warning: Art may contain nudity!

Art History, but not as we know it. Smart, sharp and witty, The History of Art in 100 Limericks gives a unique twist to Art History, summing up the work of well-known figures in five succinct (and strictly rhyming) lines…

Among poetic forms, the limerick is the happy hand-grenade: short, funny and explosive. To take the name of an artist and to find the perfect rhyme is to make a memorable and enduring association, and Angus Reid has done so to share the joke, and to share a passion for Art. In this first volume of four, he lobs his first barrage of twenty five into the solemn temples.

The book itself is a beautiful miniature gallery, a pleasure to look at, and to touch. With delicate trompe l’oeil, the limericks are attached with paperclips to an impressive array of old masters. The discovery that enabled this act of gentle subversion is the precedent, following the case of Bridgeman Art Library vs Corel Corp (1999), that galleries cannot copyright ‘slavish’ reproductions of art. This has put the entire canon of dead artists at the disposal of these volumes; and for those whose work is still in copyright the book enacts a cunning game of hide and seek with what we know of them.