When George Came to Edinburgh


Book Description

Played 24, won 10, lost 10 and drawn four. Three goals, three benders, one suspension and one sacking. This is the inside story of what happened when the world's most famous footballer joined the tenth best team in Scotland. In the winter of 1979 Hibs were enduring a season from hell and were freefalling towards relegation. They needed a miracle man to save them - what they got was a lonely, depressed man caught in a downwards alcoholic spiral. In just under a year in Edinburgh, George Best was never off the front and back pages of the national newspapers. A scrupulous, moving, extraordinary account, John Neil Munro weaves together an absorbing and unique portrait of a lost icon, with insights from his widow, his team-mates, his drinking buddies and many of the fans who saw his great performances; this is the definitive story of what happened when George Best came to Edinburgh.




Art and Identity in Scotland


Book Description

This lively and erudite cultural history of Scotland, from the Jacobite defeat of 1745 to the death of an icon, Sir Walter Scott, in 1832, examines how Scottish identity was experienced and represented in novel ways. Weaving together previously unpublished archival materials, visual and material culture, dress and textile history, Viccy Coltman re-evaluates the standard clichés and essentialist interpretations which still inhibit Scottish cultural history during this period of British and imperial expansion. The book incorporates familiar landmarks in Scottish history, such as the visit of George IV to Edinburgh in August 1822, with microhistories of individuals, including George Steuart, a London-based architect, and the East India Company servant, Claud Alexander. It thus highlights recurrent themes within a range of historical disciplines, and by confronting the broader questions of Scotland's relations with the rest of the British state it makes a necessary contribution to contemporary concerns.




The Burning Land


Book Description

'Gripping' Guardian 'Pacy and stylish' Jeremy Vine 'It was never meant to be like this. Sabotage, yes. Propaganda, yes. All of that and more - but not this. Not murder.' South Africa has become a powder keg. Its precious land is being sold off to the highest bidders while the country's corrupt elite pocket the profits. As the dreams and hopes of its people are threatened, frustration turns to violence. With the shocking murder of one of the country's bright young hopes, the fuse is well and truly lit. Conflict mediator Lindi and her childhood friend Kagiso find themselves in the heart of the chaos, fighting to save themselves and their country as events are set in motion that no one - least of all they - can control.




The Fair Botanists


Book Description

*SELECTED AS THE WATERSTONES SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022* 'Compelling, fascinating . . . A cracking good read' Val McDermid 'An evocative, enjoyable portrait of 1820s Edinburgh' Sunday Times 'Lush, seductive' Daily Mail 'Completely enchanting' Scotsman 'A beautiful tale of scandal and intrigue' Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora *** Could one rare plant hold the key to a thousand riches? It's the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumours of King George IV's impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower - an event that only occurs once every few decades. When newly widowed Elizabeth arrives in Edinburgh to live with her late husband's aunt Clementina, she's determined to put her unhappy past in London behind her. As she settles into her new home, she becomes fascinated by the beautiful Botanic Garden which borders the grand house and offers her services as an artist to record the rare plant's impending bloom. In this pursuit, she meets Belle Brodie, a vivacious young woman with a passion for botany and the lucrative, dark art of perfume creation. Belle is determined to keep both her real identity and the reason for her interest the Garden secret from her new friend. But as Elizabeth and Belle are about to discover, secrets don't last long in this Enlightenment city . . . And when they are revealed, they can carry the greatest of consequences . . . *** 'Dazzling, original, full of wonderful characters' Katie Fforde 'An absolute treat for fans of historical fiction and rich storytelling' Red Magzine 'Lively and generous-hearted, with an array of utterly engaging characters, this enchanting novel reads like a warm tonic for the soul' Mary Paulson-Ellis 'As rare and lush as the Agave flower itself, The Fair Botanists is a richly realised, transportive delight' Rachel Rhys 'Beautiful . . . Every sentence is a gift. If you love The Doll Factory or The Binding, you'll love this' Miranda Dickinson 'Delightfully original, sensuous historical fiction, led by a charge of female characters as captivating and complex as the brightest of botanical flowers' Cari Thomas




George MacLeod


Book Description

The definitive study of one of the twentieth century's most fascinating and influential churchmen, an outspoken challenger to the status quo and the founder of the radical and often controversial Iona Community.




The Water Princess


Book Description

Based on supermodel Georgie Badiel’s childhood, a young girl dreams of bringing clean drinking water to her African village With its wide sky and warm earth, Princess Gie Gie’s kingdom is a beautiful land. But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water. After the voyage home, after boiling the water to drink and clean with, Gie Gie thinks of the trip that tomorrow will bring. And she dreams. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own. Inspired by the childhood of African–born model Georgie Badiel, acclaimed author Susan Verde and award-winning author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds have come together to tell this moving story. As a child in Burkina Faso, Georgie and the other girls in her village had to walk for miles each day to collect water. This vibrant, engaging picture book sheds light on this struggle that continues all over the world today, instilling hope for a future when all children will have access to clean drinking water.







Delphi Complete Works of George Borrow (Illustrated)


Book Description

Now regarded as one of the most imaginative prose writers of the nineteenth century, George Borrow was an English traveler, linguist and translator. His many adventures, including contact with the Romani, provided the inspiration for his travel book masterpiece ‘Lavengro’ and its sequel ‘The Romany Rye’ (1857). While working in Spain for a Bible society, Borrow found his literary homeland, providing materials for ‘The Zincali’ and for his brilliantly picturesque travel book ‘The Bible in Spain’, which was a tremendous success. This eBook presents Borrow’s complete works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Borrow’s life and works * Concise introductions to the major texts * All the travel books, with individual contents tables * Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Rare translations * Includes Borrow’s letters – spend hours exploring the author’s correspondence * Features four biographies, including Shorter’s seminal study – discover Borrow’s intriguing life * Ordering of texts into chronological order and genres CONTENTS: The Travel Books The Zincali (1841) The Bible in Spain (1843) Lavengro (1851) The Romany Rye (1857) Wild Wales (1862) A Supplementary Chapter to the Bible in Spain (1913) The Translations Faustus by Friedrich Maximilian Klinger (1825) Romantic Ballads (1826) Targum (1835) The Talisman (1835) The Gypsy Luke (1837) The Sleeping Bard by Ellis Wynne (1860) The Turkish Jester by Nasreddin Hoca (1884) The Death of Balder by Johannes Ewald (1889) Miscellaneous Ballads Non-Fiction The Welsh and Their Literature (1861) Romano Lavo-lil (1874) The Letters The Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign Bible Society (1911) Letters to his Mother, Ann Borrow and Other Correspondents (1913) Letters to His Wife Mary Borrow (1913) The Biographies George Borrow (1900) by Alfred Egmont Hake George Borrow, the Man and His Work (1908) by R. A. J. Walling George Borrow (1911) by Walter Theodore Watts-Dunton George Borrow and His Circle (1913) by Clement King Shorter







George MacKay Brown


Book Description

George Mackay Brown is one of the 20th century's finest writers. This biography sweeps us along on an enriching literary and spiritual journey..Draws on unpublished letters, conversations with the enigmatic Bard's friends and well-known writers. Shortlisted for the Saltire Award Best Research Book of the Year.




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