Scottish Sporting Legends
Scottish Sporting Legends

Author: Robert Philip

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2011-09-01

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 1780571666

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Scotland may not have won a World Cup (yet!), but many of the country’s sportsmen and women are revered as global legends, including Olympic and US Open champion Andy Murray and winner of six Olympic gold medals, Sir Chris Hoy. In football, the likes of Denis Law, ‘Slim’ Jim Baxter and Jimmy ‘Jinky’ Johnstone would not have looked out of place in the canary yellow of Brazil, while managers Sir Matt Busby, Bill Shankly and Jock Stein have become part of football folklore, as has Sir Alex Ferguson in more recent times. Amazingly, Scots have reached the top in just about every major sport: Jim Clark and Sir Jackie Stewart in Formula One; Andy Murray in tennis; Ken Buchanan and Benny Lynch in the boxing ring; Chris Hoy in cycling; sprinters Allan Wells and Eric Liddell on the Olympic track; and, as befits a nation renowned as ‘the home of golf’, Sandy Lyle was recognised as the greatest player on the planet upon winning the Masters in 1988. Scottish sport is the richest of tapestries and in Scottish Sporting Legends the cream of the crop are entertainingly profiled in a revealing collection of pen portraits of stars past and present.

The Lore of Scotland
The Lore of Scotland

Author: Sophia Kingshill

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2012-08-30

Total Pages: 596

ISBN-13: 140906171X

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Scotland's rich past and varied landscape have inspired an extraordinary array of legends and beliefs, and in The Lore of Scotland Jennifer Westwood and Sophia Kingshill bring together many of the finest and most intriguing: stories of heroes and bloody feuds, tales of giants, fairies, and witches, and accounts of local customs and traditions. Their range extends right across the country, from the Borders with their haunting ballads, via Glasgow, site of St Mungo's miracles, to the fateful battlefield of Culloden, and finally to the Shetlands, home of the seal-people. More than simply retelling these stories, The Lore of Scotland explores their origins, showing how and when they arose and investigating what basis - if any - they have in historical fact. In the process, it uncovers the events that inspired Shakespeare's Macbeth, probes the claim that Mary King's Close is the most haunted street in Edinburgh, and examines the surprising truth behind the fame of the MacCrimmons, Skye's unsurpassed bagpipers. Moreover, it reveals how generations of Picts, Vikings, Celtic saints and Presbyterian reformers shaped the myriad tales that still circulate, and, from across the country, it gathers together legends of such renowned figures as Sir William Wallace, St Columba, and the great warrior Fingal. The result is a thrilling journey through Scotland's legendary past and an endlessly fascinating account of the traditions and beliefs that play such an important role in its heritage.

The Herald Diary 2019
The Herald Diary 2019

Author: Ken Smith

Publisher: Black & White Publishing Ltd

Published: 2019-10-31

Total Pages: 173

ISBN-13: 1785302973

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What are folk desperate for these days? A laugh, we reckon. And fortunately the readers of The Herald newspaper agree, as over the past year they have sent the newspaper's Diary column their funniest moments, whether it's about the daft things that happen in their office, the outrageous comments they are told in the pub, or just the eyebrow-raising observations they overhear on the train into town. They even have the occasional smile over politics, would you believe.And the very best of them are gathered in this handy volume. So if you want to know why Scotsmen still cannot understand their partners, the funniest claims made on the golf course, and the outrageous shenanigans of police officers, apprentices, shop-workers and school teachers, then look no further.

Into the Suffersphere
Into the Suffersphere

Author: Jon Malnick

Publisher: The Crowood Press

Published: 2016-08-31

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 0719820529

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According to the website of The Velominati, the self-professed Keepers of the Cog, the optimal number of bikes owned is n + 1, where n is the number of bikes owned. But there's also an important corollary, s-1, where s is the number of bikes that will cause your wife or partner to leave you.' Into the Suffersphere: Cycling and the Art of Pain is a brilliantly witty account of one former racer's exploration of whether cycling is the one sport that pushes its participants to the very limits of human endurance, and delves painfully into the role that physical and mental suffering can play in this elite endurance sport. Drawing together sporting history and pro-cycling interviews, and investigating current medical, business and psychological theories, this is the story of the extraordinary lengths to which minds and bodies can be pushed. Peppered with recollections from the author's own racing experiences and offering a fascinating insight into the unique allure of pain in a sporting context, Into the Suffersphere explores a side of cycling that you would never have dreamed of - not even in your worst nightmare. An essential read for all MAMILs (middle-aged men in Lycra) and fans of sports writing and smart thinking.

Great Scottish Heroes - Fifty Scots Who Shaped the World
Great Scottish Heroes - Fifty Scots Who Shaped the World

Author: Stuart Pearson

Publisher: Kings Road Publishing

Published: 2015-05-07

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 1784186139

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Which Scottish anti-slavery campaigner lost a son in a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp during the American Civil War? Was the enemy of Scotland's first 'freedom fighter' not England, but ancient Rome? What was the laboratory accident that led to one of the greatest discoveries in modern medicine? How did the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320 influence the legal foundation of the greatest superpower the world has ever seen? Which singing superstar overcame a learning difficulty to become a worldwide inspiration?The answers to these and many other questions can be found in Great Scottish Heroes, covering 2,000 years of Scottish history and encompassing outstanding leaders in a broad range of pursuits, including the arts, exploration, medicine, sport, religion and politics. Even a brief list of Scottish inventions shows the nation's influence upon our world: television, penicillin, the steam engine, the telephone, the vacuum flask, to name only a few.Scotland has for centuries produced a great number of exceptional, heroic individuals out of all proportion to its small population and geographical size. This concise but wide-ranging book offers biographies of fifty Scottish heroes and heroines, but in truth there are a hundred others, and more, who would qualify for inclusion.These men and women helped to shape the world, and continue to do so today. Great Scottish Heroes shows how they achieved such remarkable success. If you are a Scot by birth, descent, or adoption, this book will make you even prouder of your countrymen. If you are not Scottish, you will wish you were.

Legends Of The Game 100 Famous Sports Stars
Legends Of The Game 100 Famous Sports Stars

Author: Savita Pandit

Publisher: True Sign Publishing House

Published:

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 9359889962

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"Legends Of The Game: 100 Famous Sports Stars" is an exhilarating tribute to the greatest athletes across various sports disciplines. From the fields of basketball to soccer, tennis to swimming, this comprehensive book celebrates the iconic figures whose extraordinary talent and dedication have left an indelible mark on the world of sports. Through vivid storytelling and captivating imagery, readers are immersed in the exhilarating journeys of these legendary individuals, from their humble beginnings to their crowning achievements on the global stage. Whether it's the unparalleled dominance of Michael Jordan on the basketball court, the grace and precision of Serena Williams on the tennis court, or the sheer athleticism of Usain Bolt on the track, each athlete's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and sheer determination. "Legends Of The Game" is a definitive homage to sporting greatness and an inspiration for athletes and fans alike.