-
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 –…
-
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…
-
Book review: ‘The First Blast of the Trumpet’ by Marie Macpherson
The first in the 'Knox Trilogy', this riveting story of 16th century Scotland will sweep you into the court of James IV and into the candlelit rooms of castles, palaces and convents...
by Jo Woolf
