This Scottish author is world famous for producing some great books and screenplays. Fear Is The Key was first published in 1961. It was made into a film in 1972 starring Barry Newman, Suzy Kendall, John Vernon and Ben Kingsley. This may not be one of Alistair MacLean’s most popular works, but I first read
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Death By Design: The True Story Of The Glasgow Necropolis On a hill to the east of Glasgow Cathedral stands the Glasgow Necropolis, sprawled across 37 acres of land. This Victorian cemetery was officially opened in 1833, A few of the tombs were designed by Alexander Thomson. At the top of the hill is the
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On the Scottish island of Raasay, Calum MacLeod built a road one and three-quarter miles long from his home in Arnish to Brochel. This book not only tells the story, it also describes in great detail the history of the islands, of the Highland Clearances and of the landlords. Apart from being an interesting true
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In the old days, this would be the sort of book you would read on a cold winter’s night, sitting comfortably in your armchair next to a warm cosy fire. You would pour yourself a whisky, sit back, let the light of the standard lamp bathe the book in a pleasant glow and you would
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Hand-painted murals are uncovered by workmen renovating some old tenement flats on the High Street in Glasgow. Ruby is invited to see again these murals that were created by her Uncle Jakey when she was a little girl. She could still remember clearly sitting and watching her Uncle Jakey creating these artistic wonders on the
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There is no doubt that William McGonagall has produced some of the worst poetry imaginable. Here is a sample from The Tay Bridge Disaster: Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay! Alas! I am very sorry to say That ninety lives have been taken away On the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be
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Square Mile Of Murder is possibly the best work of Jack House. In this book he describes in great detail four famous murders that took place within one square mile of each other in the city of Glasgow. The notorious cases….. A Kiss, a Fond Embrace (The case of Madeleine Smith) This world famous case
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Judith Bowers has written a very entertaining book that traces the history of the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall. It also contains brief biographies of the stars that appeared there, including a very young Stan Laurel. The Panopticon had a mix of everything; variety shows, zoos, freak shows, novelty acts and in the last few years
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This short story grabbed my attention from the very start and I was so disappointed that the tale ended so quickly. When A Rose Blooms could have been made into a full novel and I am sure that it would have held my attention all the way through, such was the quality and style of
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Douglas Brodie is a war hero and ex-policeman working in London as a freelance journalist. He receives a telephone call from a former close friend, Hugh Donovan – from Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow. Donovan is soon to be hanged for a murder he insists he did not commit. Brodie’s emotions are mixed, Donovan had stolen
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