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Book review: ‘Island of Dreams’ by Dan Boothby
At the end of August I went to the Edinburgh Book Festival to see a joint talk by two authors – Dan Boothby and Gareth Williams. Dan Boothby was talking about his new book, ‘Island of Dreams’, while Gareth Williams gave a presentation about his release of ‘A Monstrous Commotion’, which focuses on his research into the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster. I can highly recommend both books, but in this feature I’m going to review the first one, ‘Island of Dreams’, which I have enjoyed reading over the last few weeks. Like thousands of people, in my childhood I can remember reading the books of Gavin Maxwell –…
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Book review: ‘Scotland’s Merlin’ by Tim Clarkson
“And in the battle of Arfderydd my torc was of gold…” From ‘Yr Afallennau’ (‘The Apples’), a poem in the Black Book of Carmarthen I don’t know about you, but when somebody mentions the name ‘Merlin’, an image of a bearded sorcerer pops straight into my mind, quickly followed by King Arthur and several valiant Knights of the Round Table. Add a couple of fire-breathing dragons, a gleaming but inaccessible sword, and a darkly beautiful villainess, and by this time I’m probably thinking about re-watching the excellent TV series starring Colin Morgan in the title role. I have always been interested in the theories about the origins of Merlin, the…
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Book review: ‘The Rainforests of Britain and Ireland’ by Clifton Bain
You might remember that, back in the summer of last year, I wrote about the oak woods of Taynish in Knapdale. These are one of the last remnants of Britain’s temperate rainforests, having flourished in the mild, moisture-laden climate of the west coast for around 7,000 years. It’s an enchanting, invigorating place: in spring, as you walk in dappled shadow beneath the freshly-emerging canopy of leaves, you feel as if you’re breathing the same air as Argyll’s ancient ancestors. I was therefore delighted to come across a new book entitled ‘The Rainforests of Britain and Ireland – A Traveller’s Guide’. Written by Clifton Bain and published by Sandstone Press, it…
The Hazel Tree
by Jo Woolf
