'I love stories. My life has been book-ended and bookmarked by hearing them, reading them and telling them. In my mind's eye, I can see where each of these stories unfolds . . .' __________ In MY SCOTLAND, Sunday Times bestselling author Val McDermid takes readers to the landscapes she has known all her life, and the places where her stories and characters reside. Accompanied by over 100 stunning photographs, this remarkable book uncovers Val's own Scotland in all its glory - from the iconic Isle of Skye to the majestic streets of Edinburgh; from the undiscovered hideaways of the Highlands to the wild and untamed Jura. __________ Featuring excerpts from Val McDermid's bestselling novels and charting Karen Pirie's Fife to Lindsay Gordon's Glasgow, MY SCOTLAND is an unforgettable and uniquely personal journey.
My Scotland, Our Britain: A Future Worth Sharingis a highly personal account of Gordon Brown's Scotland, the nation he was born in, and our Britain, the multinational state that the Scots, English, Welsh and Northern Irish have created and share. Laying bare his family's ancestry over 300 years of the Union and explaining how it shaped his background, Brown charts what it was like growing up in Scotland in the 1950s and 1960s, and explains the influence of religion, education and Scotland's unique industrial structure on the shaping of his and Scotland's identity. He sets out the dramatic economic, social and cultural changes of the past fifty years and the vastly different prospects his children will face, demonstrating that a sense of Scottish national identity has always remained strong and how Scottish institutions have always fiercely guarded their independence. The referendum should not be seen as a battle between Scotland and Britain, he argues, but one between two visions of Scotland's future: one that sees Scotland prosper with a strong Scottish Parliament that is part of the UK, and one that severs all the political links Scots have with the UK. Brown puts forward his proposal for a constitutional settlement that could unite the country, and argues that in tune with Scotland's history of deep engagement with the wider world -as inventors, explorers, traders, missionaries, business leaders and aid workers -the best future for Scots is not to leave Britain, but to continue to shape it.
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Where do you come from? It's one of the most basic human questions of all. But there is another question, which might sound a wee bit similar but is actually very different: What do you come from? And, let me tell you, that question can take you all sorts of strange places...' In Made in Scotland, legendary comic and national treasure Billy Connolly returns to his roots, reflecting on his life, his homeland and what it means – then and now – to be Scottish. Full of Billy's distinctive humour, Made in Scotland is a hilarious and heartfelt love letter to the place and the people that made him.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * “One of the best golf books this century.” —Golf Digest Tom Coyne’s A Course Called Scotland is a heartfelt and humorous celebration of his quest to play golf on every links course in Scotland, the birthplace of the game he loves. For much of his adult life, bestselling author Tom Coyne has been chasing a golf ball around the globe. When he was in college, studying abroad in London, he entered the lottery for a prized tee time in Scotland, grabbing his clubs and jumping the train to St. Andrews as his friends partied in Amsterdam; later, he golfed the entirety of Ireland’s coastline, chased pros through the mini-tours, and attended grueling Qualifying Schools in Australia, Canada, and Latin America. Yet, as he watched the greats compete, he felt something was missing. Then one day a friend suggested he attempt to play every links course in Scotland and qualify for the greatest championship in golf. The result is A Course Called Scotland, “a fast-moving, insightful, often funny travelogue encompassing the width of much of the British Isles” (GolfWeek), including St. Andrews, Turnberry, Dornoch, Prestwick, Troon, and Carnoustie. With his signature blend of storytelling, humor, history, and insight, Coyne weaves together his “witty and charming” (Publishers Weekly) journey to more than 100 legendary courses in Scotland with compelling threads of golf history and insights into the contemporary home of golf. As he journeys Scotland in search of the game’s secrets, he discovers new and old friends, rediscovers the peace and power of the sport, and, most importantly, reaffirms the ultimate connection between the game and the soul. It is “a must-read” (Golf Advisor) rollicking love letter to Scotland and golf as no one has attempted it before.
Description This is who I thought I would be. I knew I would be able to write a small book after my second breakdown, but I am not very good at wording things, but I have tried my best. These false beliefs went on until my fifth breakdown. I am not a nutter and I am not mad I just wanted to share my experiences with people that have had similar experiences in life. By writing this book I thought I would find out where the King of Scotland really came from and put an end to all these false beliefs. I have been through a long and painful journey having Bi-Polar Disorder, then being wrongly diagnosed more than once then being back to Bi-Polar Disorder again. I have had five nervous breakdowns since 1995 and lost my family and friends, it took me two years after my breakdown to regain my confidence again and get my life back together. After drinking heavily in the past and suicide attempts and over spending money. I never thought I would get married again and have a new family and friends. I hope the experiences that I have shared with you will be helpful to fellow service users, professionals and people out in the community. To help with the stigma of mental health. I want people to understand more about mental health problems. About the Author Born on the 21 of October 1961, in a place called Kilwinning in Scotland. Two years later my parents wanted a fresh start in England to a place called Thringstone on the Scottish estate, in a two bedroom flat. In 1971 my parents separated, a few years later I left school with no qualifications and got a job working for British coal at Snibston Colliery. In 1985 I got married and three years later we had a daughter, in 1993 I took redundancy I was out of work for a year then I started drinking heavy in 1994 a got a job with a local firm I started to feel unwell and in January1995 I was taken into Carlton Hayes Hospital with my first nervous breakdown at the age of thirty three, My marriage lasted nearly ten years then we separated since then I have had another four breakdowns in that time in and out my Bi-polar episodes I've done eleven years voluntary work I first started with the Befriending Scheme for seven years and then went onto The Peoples Forum and that's were I started for Leicestershire partnership trust, so now I go onto the wards every two weeks and listen and try and help other service users. Then I put in for peer advocacy worker for lamp and got the job then went on a course for seven weeks then on the twenty eighth of February 2008 I got my certificate of achievement for successfully completing the peer advocacy training course my life couldn't get any better I feel like I am putting something back and helping people who have been in the same situation as me. Now I am on the wards at the Bradgate unit twice a week for two hours it will be a journey for me. My hobbies are walking three times a week and playing snooker once a week with a friend.
The dramatic story of Scotland - by charismatic television historian, Neil Oliver. Scotland is one of the oldest countries in the world with a vivid and diverse past. Yet the stories and figures that dominate Scottish history - tales of failure, submission, thwarted ambition and tragedy - often badly serve this great nation, overshadowing the rich tapestry of her intricate past. Historian Neil Oliver presents a compelling new portrait of Scottish history, peppered with action, high drama and centuries of turbulence that have helped to shape modern Scotland. Along the way, he takes in iconic landmarks and historic architecture; debunks myths surrounding Scotland's famous sons; recalls forgotten battles; charts the growth of patriotism; and explores recent political developments, capturing Scotland's sense of identity and celebrating her place in the wider world.
From search engines and databases to DNA platforms, discover how to easily learn more about your Scottish ancestry online with this helpful guide. Scotland is a land with a proud and centuries long history that far predates its membership of Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Today in the 21st century it is also a land that has done much to make its historical records accessible, to help those with Caledonian ancestry trace their roots back to earlier times and a world long past. In Tracing Scottish Family History on the Internet, Chris Paton expertly guides the family historian through the many Scottish records offerings available, but also cautions the reader that not every record is online, providing detailed advice on how to use web based finding aids to locate further material across the country and beyond. He also examines social networking and the many DNA platforms that are currently further revolutionizing online Scottish research. From the Scottish Government websites offering access to our most important national records, to the holdings of local archives, libraries, family history societies, and online vendors, Chris Paton takes the reader across Scotland, from the Highlands and Islands, through the Central Belt and the Lowlands, and across the diaspora, to explore the various flavors of Scottishness that have bound us together as a nation for so long.
Like so many people who live south of the border in England, Helen thought that she knew all about Scotland. It was a part of Britain after all, a place that was surely more the same than it was different. But then she actually went there – and everything changed...
