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‘Fuck everyone from Holden Caulfield to Bridget Jones, fuck all the American and English phoney fictions that claim to speak for us; they don’t know the likes of us exist and they never did. We are who we are because we grew up the Stornoway way. We do not live in the back of beyond, we live in the very heart of beyond ...’ Meet R Stornoway, drink-addled misfit, inhabitant of the Hebridean Isle of Lewis, and meandering man fighting to break free of an island he just can’t seem to let go of...
A Scottish isle hosts a literary festival in this humorous yet tragic novel by the author of A Method Actor's Guide to Jekyll and Hyde. On an island like no other, populated by writers, the annual Brilliant & Forever Festival is a much anticipated event; its participants a story away from either glory or infamy. This year, three best friends—two human, one alpaca—are chosen to compete, so victory is not only about reward. This is a novel like no other; a wonderful, provocative tussle, a whip-cracking, energetic, laugh-out-loud satire on what we value in culture, and in our lives. And yet, written with exquisite warmth and empathy, it’s also a moving exploration of integrity, friendship...
Addressing themes of identity, culture, language and creativity in contemporary Scotland, this anthology uncovers the common experience of poets from diverse backgrounds and explores each poet's heritage in personal terms. Although emphasizing Gaelic, Shetlandic and Asian poets, this anthology presents a heterogeneous mix of poetic styles.
After a bike crash in a foggy Edinburgh, troubled young actor Robert Lewis wakes to find that life has changed for the darker. And the weirder. He's still a deceitful egoist but now life seems to be deceiving and manipulating him. Everything that can go wrong is going wrong. He's losing control of his love life, his starring role in a new adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde, and, quite possibly, his mind. A Method Actor's Guide to Jekyll and Hyde is a dark, maniacal thriller that explores many kinds of duality—individual, social and cultural, and is a heartfelt tale about the search for belonging and the nature of love and desire. It is also bloody funny.
'When the breathing got worse he went into the adjacent room and got the copy of Dante. All that night and the night before he had been watching the dying...When a mirror was required to be brought she looked at it, moving her head restlessly this way and that. He knew that the swelling was a portent of some kind, a message from the outer darkness, an omen' - The Dying Although best known as one of Scotland's greatest modern poets, Iain Crichton Smith was also prolific as a writer of short stories. These pieces form a central part of his oeuvre, demonstrating the full range and versatility of his literary talent. From humour to tragedy, from inner monologues to extrovert surrealism, the dive...
If you haven't yet met Archie the Alpaca now's your chance. Prolific writer, social observer, grassiccino drinker, occasional dancer and loyal friend, Archie sees the world like no-one else. Gathered here are his thoughts, feelings, loves, hates and everything in between. From his remarks on the volume of phone conversations to friendship with cats, tributes to great art and artists, and the joy of being Salvador Dali, his diary will teach you to think about everything you know just a little bit differently.
The islands of Scotland influenced many of the country's most important poets through their inhabitance there, whether during childhood or by choice. This anthology pays tribute to the islands' creative output by bringing together a huge array of poetic talent, from the internationally renowned—George Mackay Brown, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Hugh MacDiarmid, Sorley MacLean, and Iain Crichton Smith—to those fantastic poets deserving of more attention—Meg Bateman, Alex Cluness, Jen Hadfield, Aonghas MacNeacail, Jim Mainland, and others—in one wonderful collection. With poems exploring the themes of love, language, landscape, identity, and belonging, this compilation is a significant and heartfelt celebration of Scottish poetry and place.
No one can describe a wine like Karen MacNeil. Comprehensive, entertaining, authoritative, and endlessly interesting, The Wine Bible is a lively course from an expert teacher, grounding the reader deeply in the fundamentals—vine-yards and varietals, climate and terroir, the nine attributes of a wine’s greatness—while layering on tips, informative asides, anecdotes, definitions, photographs, maps, labels, and recommended bottles. Discover how to taste with focus and build a wine-tasting memory. The reason behind Champagne’s bubbles. Italy, the place the ancient Greeks called the land of wine. An oak barrel’s effect on flavor. Sherry, the world’s most misunderstood and underappreciated wine. How to match wine with food—and mood. Plus everything else you need to know to buy, store, serve, and enjoy the world’s most captivating beverage.
Set under the skies of eighteenth-century Japan, Night Boat is a tale of fear, devotion and the power of the spirit against all odds.