Great Scott!: A Review Of Allan Massie’s The Ragged Lion…
The first book of Allan Massie’s I read was his historical novel Augustus (I think in the late ’80s) and it made a deep impression on me....
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Jul 2, 20182 min read
Words & Music: A Review Of Stephen Thom’s Beachcomber…
Back in March we included Dante’s excellent album I Wear Your Weight With Mine (below) in our monthly musical roundup. At the time we...
Jun 25, 20184 min read
Read All About It!: A Review Of M.J. Nicholls’ The 1002nd Book To Read Before You Die…
M.J. Nicholls’ previous novel The House Of Writers was, as the title suggests, a book on and about writers and writing, but it was so...
Jun 8, 20183 min read
Fantastic Voyage: A Review Of Mandy Haggith’s The Walrus Mutterer…
Perhaps more than any other medium fiction is able to transport you to other times and places – placing you in the company of strangers...
May 31, 20184 min read
Back To The Old School: A Review Of J.V. Baptie’s The Forgotten…
1977. The year the Sex Pistols released Never Mind The Bollocks, Elvis died, Star Wars broke box-office records, Bowie told us “We could...
May 29, 20183 min read
Translated Accounts: A Review Of Alison Moore’s Missing…
In our recent podcast with Helen McClory the subject of literary fiction, and what makes it so special, arose. You can still hear the...
May 17, 20183 min read
Pyroclastic Fantastic: A Review Of Doug Johnstone’s Fault Lines…
Let’s lay our cards on the table before we begin – Doug Johnstone is not only one of SWH!’s favourite writers, but among our favourite...
May 1, 20184 min read
Listen Closely: Ron Butlin’s The Sound Of My Voice (Revisited)…
Back in 2011 I wrote a post for the much missed Dear Scotland website on Ron Butlin’s 1987 novel The Sound Of My Voice as part of the...
Apr 23, 20183 min read
The Quines Of Crime: A Review Of Claire MacLeary’s Burnout…
One of the finest crime fiction debuts of recent years was Claire MacLeary’s Cross Purpose (right). Published in 2017 on the Contraband...
Apr 18, 20183 min read
Stinking Thinking: A Review Of Martin Geraghty’s A Mind Polluted…
There are often claims that ambition and risk are increasingly resisted and discouraged in contemporary fiction – sure things are what...
Apr 9, 20181 min read
The McClory Variations: The Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Talks To Helen McClory…
For the latest podcast Ali met up with Helen McClory (below) at Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket Gallery to talk about her life as a writer to...
Apr 1, 20183 min read
Stranger Things: A Review Of Helen McClory’s Mayhem & Death…
One of Scots Whay Hae!’s Best Books of 2017 was Helen McClory’s novel Flesh Of The Peach, which should have reached a much wider...
Mar 14, 20183 min read
Fowl Play And Finery: A Review Of Stuart David’s Peacock’s Alibi…
Two of the most challenging types of writing are crime and comedy. For the first you have to avoid repeating well-worn clichés while...
Mar 13, 20181 min read
Man Of Letters: The SWH! Podcast Talks To Aye Write! Programmer Bob McDevitt…
For the latest podcast, Ali spoke to Aye Write! Book Festival programmer, Bob Bloody Scotland and the Pitlochry Winter Words Festival,...
Mar 9, 20186 min read
Talking Books: A Preview Of Aye Write! 2018…
For 10 days in March (15th – 25th) Glasgow’s Book Festival Aye Write! is the only show in town for lovers of fact, fiction, food, poetry,...
Feb 22, 20182 min read
Bon Accord: A Review Of Alan Taylor’s Appointment In Arezzo: A Friendship With Muriel Spark...
Alan Taylor’s Appointment In Arezzo: A Friendship With Muriel Spark, an account of his relationship with Spark in her later life. A...
Feb 20, 20182 min read
Whisky Business: The Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Talks To Rachel McCormack…
Rachel McCormack at Glasgow’s Iberica restaurant to talk about her recent book, the excellent Chasing The Dram: Finding The Spirit Of...
Feb 16, 20182 min read
House Rules: A Review Of M.J. Nicholls’ The House Of Writers…
The last novel standing of 2017’s “must read/review” pile is M.J. Nicholls’ The House Of Writers, and it proves to be apt as it meant the...
Feb 9, 20183 min read
From Russia, With Love: A Review Of Olga Wotjas’ Miss Blaine’s Prefect And The Golden Sa
This year is the 100th anniversary of the birth of the writer Muriel Spark. You may have noticed – you MUST have noticed – but if you...
Jan 29, 20182 min read
Rage Against The Mainstream: The Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Talks To 404 Ink…
For the first podcast of 2018 Ali went to Edinburgh to talk to Heather McDaid and Laura Jones who are behind the innovative and acclaimed...
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