porto press ltd caithness (455 risultati)

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. This is a mixture of folk-tale, magic, myth, love story and hymn of praise to the natural world of Scotland's high and low lands, their landscapes and creatures, and the poet-guardians who timelessly maintain their care for them. It is the legend-story of the mysterious Wanderer, who comes from the North to Striveling (Stirling) and its great Castle Rock, and the tales he tells to the five men and a woman who befriend him there. Who is this Wanderer, who seems ageless, who has profound affinities with animals and birds, who can take on the shape of swans and what is his mission to the South? Who are these friends, whose friendship becomes more, as they begin to realize that they are part of the strange, timeless and mythic destiny of a country older than civilization? What is the meaning of the unearthly love of the Wanderer and the mysterious Bella? This volume is a mixture of folk-tale, magic, myth, love story and hymn of praise to the natural world of Scotland's high and low lands, their landscapes and creatures, and the poet-guardians who timelessly maintain their care for them. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. "The Lost Glen" vividly portrays a clash of cultures and personalities against a background of a landscape in visible decay. The cultural collision and its effects are explored through Ewan, a young local man recently returned from university in disgrace, and a retired English colonel staying at the village hotel. Both men in a sense are alienated from the community, the younger because of a haunting sense of failure, and the older through an unwillingness to understand the local culture. They have a mutual antipathy. The Colonel's self-imposed cultural isolation leads to aggressive bullying and an openly lascivious attitude towards local young women. His unworthiness as a representative of Anglo-Saxon culture is largely compensated for by his young niece, who behaves with sensitivity and integrity. She is clearly attracted to Ewan whose sense of failure is complex and does not only concern his enforced withdrawal from university and his involvement in an incident at sea that cost his father his life; it concerns the feeling he has of himself as a spiritual exile - a man who had intended to emigrate but who had remained as an outsider in the land that meant so much to him.He is fascinated by the experience of a local piper, whose finding of a lost glen that had a strange beauty and primordial freshness had been translated into a pibroch. The haunting tune acts as a stimulant to Ewan's Hamlet-like musings on the possibility of a rejuvenation of the landscape or a final disappearance of its life and meaning. The antipathy between the two main protagonists leads to a physical struggle between them that brings to an end a novel, layered with meanings, that is more a symbolic drama than a novel of realism. One of the earliest novels to appear in the Scottish Literary Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s, "The Lost Glen" turns its back on the form of writing that had depicted Scotland as a rural paradise in favour of describing Highland life as it really was at that time. Portrays a clash of cultures and personalities against a background of a landscape in visible decay. This work explores the cultural collision and its effects, through Ewan, a young local man returned from university in disgrace, and a retired English colonel staying at the village hotel. Both men, in a sense, are alienated from the community. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. A novel set in a Highland shooting lodge, where the focus is a hunt in a remote deer forest; but this is no ordinary thriller. A shooting lodge party of wealthy English people, a team of Highland stalkers, a legendary stag to be hunted and a background of glen and corrie, shrouded from time to time by impenetrable mist. A marvellous blend of ever-changing landscape - be it light and shadow, swift transitiions from light to half light, mist, rain, tones and flowing lines - contribute to the dramatic essence of the novel. Culture and personality clashes and mystery, which portent much deeper clashes between spiritual and material values, provide a vastly enjoyable read. Set in a Highland shooting lodge, this thriller features a shooting-lodge party of wealthy English people, a team of Highland stalkers, a legendary stag to be hunted and a background of glen and corrie, shrouded from time to time by impenetrable mist. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Neil M Gunn, one of Scotlands most distinguished 20th century authors, wrote over a period of 30 years, starting in 1926 and ending in 1956 with his so-called spiritual autobiography The Atom of Delight. Two years before this he wrote his last novel, The Other Landscape, the setting being the east coast of Scotlands most northerly mainland county. This provides the perfect backdrop a fishing hotel and its English residents, the local ghillies who served them, and a solitary white house near the cliffs in which the occupant, a man from the South, lives alone.Add to this the Major, a retired military officer-cum-diplomat, who quickly shows himself to be an insensitive and overbearing man, disdainful of his fellows and aggressive towards those who challenge his views or show any form of disrespect towards him. His paternalistic behaviour towards the local community masks a contempt for it. Life in the hotel is lightened on a more mundane level by two incidents, both directly relating to the Major a false alarm over a drowning incident and a fire in his bedroom, both of which end happily, but with a damaging loss of face for the Major and much amusement for the guests and staff at the hotel.Juxtaposed with the sporting life at the hotel, and in a subtle way connected to it, is the fate of the solitary and bereaved occupant of the white house. The shadow of death, both present and past, hangs over the house and blends with the palette of second sight and the strong phenomenon of recurrence, when patterns of events inexplicably repeat themselves. The reader is thus invited to consider the realities of life and death and the inherent tragedies that are contained within them, but in the end is presented with a glimpse of hope and renewal. Neil M Gunn, one of Scotlands most distinguished 20th century authors, wrote over a period of 30 years, starting in 1926 and ending in 1956. This is his final novel. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. At the heart of The Silver Bough is a cairn on a knoll surrounded by standing stones. This is of professional interest to an archaeologist, around whom the story revolves. The life-enhancing qualities of the crofting family with whom he lodges and the quiet tenor of Highland life bear a curious similarity to his speculations on how 'the cairn people' lived in the distant past. His ideas spread outwards like ripples in a loch, fascinating his colleagues and giving some meaning to the life of a neighbouring landowner, who is mentally scarred from his experiences in the War. The plot of the book is imaginative and intricate, and includes the mystery of skeletons found in a cist in the cairn. As the dig proceeds, gold is discovered and then disappears. Has it been taken by the lad the archaeologist has been employing and, if so, where is it? The search is on and the standing stone claims its sacrificial victim. A cairn on a knoll surrounded by standing stones becomes intriguing to the archaeologist around whom this story revolves. Skeletons are found in a cist in the cairn, and then gold is discovered and later disappears. The search is on and the standing stone claims its sacrificial victim. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Unlike most of Gunns novels, The Lost Chart is set in a city the city of Glasgow and its sea approaches. The untypical choice of background for the story is not the only departure from Gunns usual approach to his novels. The book is also a thriller. The story unfolds in a social ambience of fear and speculation within which certain sinister political forces are at work. Nuclear war is a possibility, if not a certainty. Shipping executive Dermot Cameron gets involved in a street brawl, loses the chart of the approaches to a remote Hebridean island and finds himself in a tussle between the British Secret Service and a locally-based communist fifth-column. The plot turns almost exclusively on the date of a looming crisis, and the imminence of that date pervades the thoughts and feelings of those in conflict with a locally-based sinister and elusive enemy.This timeless work, from one of the most important writers of the twentieth century, has a remarkable relevance to the events of today. When it was written in 1949 there was an uneasiness in the West regarding changes to the old order of society and the decline in certain moral standards and spiritual beliefs. Today the problems facing humanity have not changed. The threatening political situations in the Far East, Middle East and Eastern Europe and the concomitant danger of nuclear warfare are all too evident. Against such a background, the way of life on the remote Hebridean island depicted by the author has an almost irresistible appeal. This timeless work, from one of the most important writers of the twentieth century, has a remarkable relevance to the events of today. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. In clear and utterly compelling English, this moving memoir tells the story of the agony, and the ecstasy, of one refugee and of every refugee. A must read for anyone interested in the triumph of Afghanistans spirit over its seemingly endless suffering. Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, British Ambassador to Afghanistan, 20072010 Flight From Afghanistan is a harrowing account of what drives a man to flee his home country in fear of his life, the trauma of refugee camps and the dangers he faces even when he reaches the sanctuary of the West. Afghans are the second largest refugee group in the world.When confronted by certain death at the point of a gun, Tella Omeri, an uneducated boy from a peasant family knew he had no alternative but to put his life in the hands of ruthless human traffickers, living on his wits and instincts. His 11-year flight, which began as a six-year- old child, is a story combining brutality with courage, hopelessness with resilience. The author asks for no pity, but in his short story he seeks to explain the motivation behind his decisions and paints a radically different picture of life in a troubled region, challenging world leaders and domestic warring factions to find a solution to the endless conflict.While thousands of refugees flee conflict and danger every day, Flight from Afghanistan shines a powerful light on what it actually means to undertake such a journey, and gives a voice to the often forgotten silent victims of the long running wars in the authors home country. Afghan refugees represent one of the worlds largest protracted refugee populations. Over the past four decades, many have been forced from their homes to never see them again. Some were able to return, for a while, but had their lives upended by a fresh eruption of conflict and violence either to be displaced elsewhere in the country, or to become refugees yet again. Amnesty InternationalAfghanistan is the worlds least peaceful country. Institute for Peace and Economics, June 2019Tella Omeri now lives in the UK as a British Citizen with his wife and children. This book is a moving memoir telling the story of the agony and ecstasy of one refugee and of every refugee. A must read for anyone interested in the triumph of Afghanistans spirit over its seemingly endless suffering. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. This is the story of a WW2 airfield that wasnt there.RAF Wick was a decoy airfield near Sarclet, by Thrumster in Caithness. For a brief period it was busy, active and vital, full of people and buildings with three broad and very obvious tracks with lights and noise. It was very much on the map, specifically designed to draw attention to itself. But it was an illusion dreamed up by military strategists and cinema-set designers.Air Ministry cartographers transposed the design of a real aerodrome onto a blank area on the map. Planners added standard building designs in the right places. Construction workers created runways that a plane could not land on. Artists and craftsmen made planes that couldnt fly. Men and women from all over the country came to work at a place that was not a working airfield, although their very presence was an essential part of the deception.This book tells the story of how RAF Wick became a part of the lives of the people who built it, worked there or lived nearby. This is the story of a WW2 airfield that wasnt there. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. During the long winter nights and before the advent of television, people in Caithness used to hold informal gatherings in each other's houses, and spend the night in general conversation around the firesides. These gatherings were known as ceilidhs. The news of the day was always discussed along with other topics of interest. The conversation very often turned to events of long ago and it was then that the storytellers came into their own.With his customary enthusiasm, Robert Gunn has selected a number of these tales and historical events with links to or origins in Caithness, to provide a fascinating read and a few surprises! The author recalls that in the Dunbeath district there were several storytellers who held their audiences spellbound with their tales of long ago. One such story was The Prisoner's Leap this raised considerable debate as to whether it was possible to jump the gorge at Crageneath although the conversation often ended with people agreeing that the distance between the two rocks at the gorge was much less than it was currently!Most people believed that an Earl of Orkney was killed at the battle of Leodibest and that one of the stones near the road marked his grave. Alexander Gunn's recollections of his schooldays at Badbea will be an eye-opener for many when they read of the terrible hardships that the children who lived there had to endure. Swein Asleifson a northern pirateThe son of a Norse governor, Swein followed a life of raiding and looting which encompassed Northern Scotland, Orkney and Shetland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. He travelled as far south as Wales and the Scilly Isles and became one of the most powerful men of his time, commanding fear from the people, respect from Earls and admiration from Kings. This book brings together all the action, double-dealing and bloodthirsty adventures surrounding Swein and his people. A new, combined edition of two well-loved Caithness books Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Snowdrops are known as the harbingers of spring at a time when there is little else in flower in the garden to brighten the dull winter months. No-one should be without these dainty white gems which can symbolize innocence, purity and hope. The author describes all known snowdrop species, the cultivation of garden-worthy varieties and their naming as well as their history in early European and English literature. He includes the earliest reference to the English word Snowe Dropps in 1615, preceding the previous earliest reference to Snow drops in 1633.For novice gardeners and those who have never grown snowdrops before he describes how to grow just a few reliable varieties, with advice on buying, planting, dividing, looking after snowdrops, labelling, diseases and companion plants. He also dispels the myth that snowdrops are difficult and dont survive well in gardens, giving advice on all aspects of snowdrop culture. For galanthophiles varieties are recommended to extend their collection. This advice is based on personal experience from growing over 100 different cultivars in his town garden in Oxford.The sequence of flowering of different snowdrop varieties from October to March is described, including the autumn-flowering Queen Olgas snowdrop. This diary format of their emergence will help gardeners learn how there can be snowdrops flowering for six months of the year. The book is illustrated with a stunning selection of close-up images of different varieties of snowdrops to help aid identification of these dainty flowers.Included in the chapter on snowdrop art are many historical images from the earliest-known snowdrop woodcut in Dodoens European Herbal, 1568 to more recent 19th century images. No other author on snowdrops has attempted such an extensive description of snowdrop art over the centuries, including advice from Jacquie Hibbert on how to paint snowdrops, or has described the evolution of this art form for snowdrops.The book concludes with a useful index of all 22 recognized species and over 100 varieties with reference to international collections. The author's passion for snowdrops shines through in this lavishly illustrated book for novice snowdrop gardeners and galanthophiles alike Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. The Girl who Killed a Nation is a fast-paced tale that is deeply reflective, readable and down to earth, and will draw in lovers of travel, history, and personal memoir. It is a true African story that will change readers perceptions.How did a teenage girl cause the death of 40,000 of her own people in 1856 and why do some compare her to an African Joan of Arc or Greta Thunberg? Was she a black liberation leader, a malicious liar or the disruptor of a conservative patriarchal society?Join Treive Nicholas on a moving physical and spiritual journey from the Wild Coast of South Africa to a highly symbolic grave in Cambridgeshire, England as he searches for the infamous teenage prophetess Nongqawuse leader of the popular mass movement known as the Great Cattle Killing (185657). Fate is his constant companion, gently leading him to the rivers, woods and pastures where mercurial spirits, kings, prophets, witch doctors and colonial leaders played out this visceral African story in the cauldron of nine wars, settler invasion and cruel natural disasters. The ripples of this almost unbelievable tragedy are still felt today.On the grassy hills of the Eastern Cape, Treive concludes the South African leg of his pilgrimage, holding an open-air court at the grave of the revered amaXhosa ruler, King Hintsa. The verdict on his death? Bloody regicide, at the hands of Sir Harry Smith, the Hero of Aliwal and darling of Victorian society.After recovering from four tropical diseases, and much to Treives great surprise, the journey does not end there. Instead, it all comes uncomfortably closer to home. Much closer. A shocking but true African story that will change readers perceptionsTravel with the author to the South African bush in search of the teenage girl who caused the death of 40,000 of her own people in 1856. How and why?Facts prove stranger than fiction as a story of Shakespearian proportions unfolds Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. For one hundred years Scottish medical explorers were at the forefront of exploration within the British Empire, as exemplified by these five individuals.This dominant role was facilitated by the convergence of four events: the unification of Scotland and England, the Scottish Enlightenment, Scotlands unique method of preparing doctors, and the need for a new type of explorer. These events provided the men of Scotland with a trajectory that was quite different from their English counterparts.Throughout the century of exploration, Britain concentrated on expanding its already extensive global empire, and leading this movement were the men of Scotland. Over half of the British explorers from this era were Scottish and often doctors who had received their training at Scottish universities. Those graduating from the University of Edinburgh outnumbered those from other Scottish universities by a ratio of almost 9 to 1. Why were there so many Scottish doctors exploring a dangerous and unknown world and why were these medical explorers uniquely more qualified to lead this effort?A key factor was that the British Imperial Century required a new type of explorer. Prior exploration had focused on finding new lands, establishing trade routes, and creating colonies. Although trade and profit were still significant considerations, new focuses like economic botany and voyages exclusively for the sake of science took precedence. Losing Sight of the Shore shines a light on this most productive and adventurous era while providing detail and context about the people and the times in which they lived.Although Losing Sight of the Shore profiles five medical explorers in detail, this is not a biography but a history which aims to understand and explain the ideology and philosophy of a group of Scottish-trained physicians and surgeons; and how their interaction within the political, cultural, intellectual, and social context of the time helped define the British Imperial Century. This book follows the fortunes of a handful of Scotland's medical explorers. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. The West Highland Way is Scotland's first official Long Distance Route and runs near 100 miles from Milngavie to Fort William. It was nicknamed the 'Way Way' by a trio from Fife who set off to walk it in the year of the Millennium. This is not a guidebook but an account of their experiences, the highs and lows which any challenge presents of their marvellous, surprising, amusing and weird memories. They met many hundreds of people along the way but, naturally, those they recall were the more eccentric. Although the trio never managed another bigger trip together they realize how lucky, and wise, they had been to grab the chance when it came. There is remarkably pleasant rural walking at the start to reach the Highlands at Loch Lomond, fine woodland on its banks and later, the contrast of lonely, empty miles across Rannoch Moor, the Devil's Staircase and the great pass of the Lairig Mor to finish. Encounters with other people are an important part of Long Distance Routes. Anyone who has walked the Way Way (or is planning to do so) will enjoy this story, bringing back plenty of similar memories of people and places, adventures and misadventures.The illustrations too give a wonderful idea of the rich variety of country traversed and well capture the atmosphere of this walk through Scotland's fine landscapes. An entertaining narrative that encapsulates the complete experience of walking the West Highland Way. It brings to life one of the classic Long Distance walks. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. This book reveals the skills and stories behind the art of figurehead carving and two of the primary families involved - the Hellyers and the Dickersons.Over centuries past, powerful nations and empires have expressed their might and control in part through the strength of their navies and their industrial and commercial prowess through fleets of vessels whether powered by sail or later steam. The desire to add ornamentation to even the most utilitarian of objects is evident throughout history, and ships were no exception. The task to create decorative forms that became part of a functional object was for the shipping industry the job of the ship's carver; a profession that demanded artistic ability together with a knowledge of the functional requirements of the vessel. When decoration was applied to a military vessel, it was for the purpose of presenting an overwhelming sense of indomitable strength. Imagery taken from biblical texts or ancient myths and legends provided heroic figures that not only emphasised power, but also established the political and theological ideology that each nation wished to uphold or impose.Written by a professional ship's carver who has restored many figureheads, this book reveals the skills and stories behind the profession and some of the primary families - the Hellyers and the Dickersons - back to the 18th century. Originally from Hampshire, the Hellyer family carved figureheads for the Royal Naval yard at Portsmouth, whilst the Dickerson family carved for the Royal Naval yard at Plymouth. Following generations set up carving workshops at many of the London yards, and as ship building moved north, they also set up in Tyneside and Scotland. In all they carved over 350 figureheads for the Royal Navy plus many for merchant yards. The smaller Dickerson family remained in Plymouth carving over 220 figures.Ships' Figureheads reveals information about these and other carving families, providing a socio-historic account of the times and in so doing an insight into the world they inhabited, with an in-depth practical knowledge of their work. Through exhaustive research the author has discovered many of the trials and tribulations experienced by each family, thus giving a sense of who they were, where they lived and how their work was viewed by society. It includes many heart-rending episodes that each family endured helping to bring to life the period in which they lived An invaluable insight into the almost-forgotten craftsmanship of ships' carvers through the life and times of two of the most famous families of ship carvers. It is also a previously unresearched area of social history documenting many intriguing historical facts. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Across Europe to Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and onward to Siberia, Japan and Australia, this is a work that is rich in many dimensions. In essence its a travel story about an eight-month, long and gruelling motorbike ride, but it contains so much more. The author paints a picture with evocative and detailed descriptions of cities and landscapes, accounts of people in different economic and political systems, whose lives were often harrowing, and the unending challenge of riding the machine across diverse terrains in changing conditions.But it has the added perspective of a spiritual journey as the author grapples with the reality of the world about him and his inner demons, bringing an open mind to bear on the people and places confronting him a journey into the writers own soul as well as a cultural education.But most of all its a page-turning adventure story touched with humour and wit, a book that can be opened anywhere with the reader certain to find something interesting, surprising or amusing.Malcolm Dunkeld began his trek in his mid-sixties in sober England and finished it in the Australian desert after a thundering crash. This book has it all! A page-turning story of travel, adventure, people and places. Laugh-out loud funny in places, yet at times poignant and sad. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Seasonality is an uplifting look at British wildlife through the seasons of the year, but it is also about our relationship with that wildlife. The author, a keen and passionate naturalist, takes us on a journey through spring, summer, autumn and winter, and on this journey we look at how our wildlife lives throughout the year, how it adapts and changes as necessary. The author shares how wildlife makes him feel, how he derives joy and a sense of well-being from the wildlife he sees and describes. But he also shares his frustration at how some of our actions and land management impact on our increasingly pressurised wildlife. It shares the delight of watching birds in the garden, fox cubs in the countryside and peregrines in the city. It shares the sadness of seeing stuffed examples of extinct birds, the anger at the mismanagement of potentially wildlife rich hedgerows, and the confusion and contradiction of the management of our so-called natural spaces. It is a book of delights and frustrations, but above all hope and celebration. Whether it is the flash of bright yellow butterfly wings signalling that spring has arrived, the slicing of the air by sickleshaped swifts telling us that summer has come, the wonderful show of colour that the leaves of trees display in the autumn, or the deep-throated chuckle of fieldfares gleaning berries in the winter, the seasons are full of life and this book describes them in vivid detail. The role of the seasons in our own lives may have diminished, but for wildlife the seasons are everything, they are the framework within which everything happens. Seasonality is your guide, through a naturalist's eyes and thoughts, to the incredible journey of the four seasons. The seasons of the year roll on regardless, an endless cycle that dictates the rhythm of life. This book uses seasonality as a guide, observed through a naturalist's eye. The seasons of the year roll on regardless, an endless cycle that dictates the rhythm of life. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. A revealing picture of a time when Britain was losing its empire. It draws on letters written at the period by an airman, his vivid memories and experiences from the Canal Zone, Kenya during Mau Mau times, Cyprus and Jerusalem. His time encompassed conducting church services, being shipwrecked, numerous wildlife encounters and the formation of many lifelong friendships. The Canal Zone was no easy life and 50 years later a medal was awarded when the government was forced to admit it was deserved and to confess its own political chicanery in the events. Hamish paints a picture of the highs and lows of RAF life, a station being run down in Egypt, working in oppressive heat and now and then being shot at! He saw the Windrush a week before it exploded and sank in the Mediterranean; both the Windrush story and that of building the Suez Canal are detailed in an appendix. There is much to find in this story including background histories to events and the politics of the time. As a whole it provides a fascinating account of the era. This book paints a revealing picture of a time when Britain was losing its empire. It draws on letters written at the period by an airman recalling his vivid memories and experiences from the Canal Zone, Kenya during Mau Mau times, Cyprus and Jerusalem. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Leith Built Ships Volume 1: They Once Were Shipbuilders by R.O. Neish is the first volume in a comprehensive maritime history series exploring Scotlands rich shipbuilding heritage. This detailed account traces the development of Leith shipyards from the mid-19th century to the end of the First World War, highlighting the ports vital role in British and global maritime history.Focusing on Scottish maritime history and industrial heritage, the book documents the evolution of shipbuilding technology in Leithfrom traditional wooden hulls and iron construction to advanced steel ship design. It examines the vessels built in Leith shipyards, their worldwide voyages, and their involvement in trade, exploration, and wartime service, revealing the global reach of Leith-built ships.The book also brings to life the people behind the industry, including skilled shipyard workers, engineers, and craftsmen whose expertise helped establish Leith as one of Scotlands most important shipbuilding centres. Their contributions are placed within the broader social and economic history of the port, once Scotlands principal maritime gateway.With a shipbuilding tradition spanning over 660 years, Leith played a pioneering role in Britains maritime development building vessels centuries before the rise of the Clyde shipyards. These ships served in major conflicts, supported global trade routes and shaped countless lives at sea.Ideal for readers interested in Scottish shipbuilding history, maritime archaeology, and industrial heritage, this volume begins an authoritative series celebrating Leiths enduring legacy as a world-class shipbuilding port. This is a complete history of the ships built at Leith from c. 1850 until the end of World War I and features the shipyards that eventually became the Henry Robb Shipyard including S&H Morton, Ramage & Ferguson, Cran & Somerville and Hawthorns & Co Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. 'Like many a Highland glen, the Fathan Ghlinne should be wooded but isn't. But I have sat long and often and listened to the ancient river speech, to the windsong of three birches and a rowan, the rowan above a meeting of waterfalls which should be a portentous place. And the word on the wind and in the speech of the river is that the trees and wolves and the people will be back.' Thus Jim Crumley concludes this remarkable book of nature writing. The setting is largely Highland Perthshire (there are startling asides to Mull and Alaska), the author's home for several years, and where, having 'chased a rainbow' that faded early he stayed on and put down a root that nourished his nature writer's instincts. Something Out There is Jim Crumley's account of his quest to rediscover something of the ancient bond between man and nature. It is told in prose that is three-quarters of the way to poetry, and in the process gives the art of nature writing a bold new standard bearer for the 21st century. This volume of nature writing is set largely in Highland Perthshire, the author's home for several years. It is an account of his quest to rediscover something of the ancient bond between man and nature. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Kayaking the Sea Roads is a personal journey by sea kayak into the heart of the sea roads that make up our Scottish Highlands and islands. Blending the intensity of the journey with a careful observation of the natural world and first-hand knowledge of the challenges of living and working in this place, the author reminds us that mother nature, vast and resilient, is still out there beyond our mobile phones and urban lives. For those with the eyes to see, its natural rhythms can awaken a deep sense of wonder and give us cause to become part of the environmental recovery so sorely needed. With Ed, we travel low in the water with the restless sea ever present and we camp with him on remote rough shores. We share his feelings of wonder at the natural world, his fear at the exposure to rough seas and we encounter with him not just the myriad animals and birds that share his every day but also the people, their communities and the often gnarly rural issues impacting on human and animal alike. Alongside a deeply felt appreciation of the natural environment is a first-hand insight into the environmental and land-management issues pertinent to the Highland coast. By exploring, for instance, the impact of native versus non-native species, of community land ownership, of tourism, hunting and the varied other uses and indeed non-uses of coastal lands and seas, the readers eyes are opened to a Scottish Highlands that is so much more than just a pretty view. At the surface, this is an adventure story, but at its heart, it is a tale about belonging and a deep sense of place; and it is a journey home, home in the end to where the authors Highland love affair began. This is a personal journey by sea kayak into the heart of the sea roads that make up our Scottish Highlands and islands. It's a story of enlightenment, an opening of heart and mind to the wonders and challenges of living and working on our remote Scottish Highland shores. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. In this sequel to Life in Lethinnis, Rory offers a further collection of pen-portraits from those early years in the place he has called Lochuisge.In the tradition of Lillian Beckwiths The Hills is Lonely, or Sybil Armstrongs A Croft in Clachan, the anecdotes inevitably revolve around the strong characters that made up this isolated community and became part of everyday life. With the author continuing to earn a living as a professional biologist, the characters featured are both human and animal as the various tales capture the atmosphere of living and working in this tight-knit community into which he and his wife were so immediately welcomed.After 20 years leading a research group in wildlife biology at the University of Southampton, Rory Putman decided to retire to the Highlands of Scotland, moving with his wife to a croft at the edge of a small and somewhat inaccessible village on the west coast. In the same vein as the well-received Life in Lethinnis, he offers a further collection of cameos from those first few years as they moved into and settled in their remote smallholding.The authors intimate writing style draws the reader with him into the heart of that same community. But in this sequel there is perhaps a greater darkness as Putman registers that life on the Peninsula is changing and that he is in effect chronicling the end of an era. In this sequel to Life in Lethinnis, the author offers a further collection of pen-portraits from those early years in the place he has called Lochuisge. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Foreword by Admiral Lord West of SpitheadFew people, even in the Navy, are even aware of this dreadful incident [the loss of submarine HMS Truculent in the Thames] and certainly not the details of human error that led to this huge loss of life. The account is gripping, and explains the strange title of the book. . John Johnson-Allen has put Fred Henleys personal accounts in the context of world-changing events, and in particular provides a wonderful snapshot of the Royal Navy of that era.------------------------------------------This compelling story is the result of many hours spent recording the memories of Fred Henley. His life at sea is at the centre of his being and his own words are at the heart of the book. At the age of 14 Fred worked on a Thames sailing barge, then after his training at HMS Ganges, he joined his first ship which took him from the icy Arctic Ocean to the heat of West Africa where the Bismarck and her support ships were hunted. His experiences included visiting Archangel, sailing on Arctic convoys, capturing German supply ships, the failed attack on Oran, landings in Piraeus, Salonika and the French Riviera and operating with special forces in the Greek Islands. There is inevitably some humour when Fred recounts his encounters with girls. The book then explores the tragic loss of his last submarine, HMS Truculent. In the cold January waters of the Thames Estuary, within sight of Southend, over 60 men were lost in a major disaster, just five years after the end of the war. The voices of the survivors are heard telling how they stood in complete blackness in a sunken submarine, waiting for the water to come in so that they could escape to the surface, only for all but a few to drift away and die in the darkness. The story concludes with happier times with Fred visiting ports in the Mediterranean during peacetime as a married man. An incident-filled naval life during WWII seen through the eyes of a young manFeatures the tragic loss of HMS Truculent and includes eye-witness accounts from survivors Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Set atop the rocky plateau of Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, the Old Light stands proudly - a monument to the skill of its builder, Joseph Nelson. It is of a pleasing construction, both solid and graceful, and when built in 1820 it had two lights - an upper and a lower, and was the highest lighthouse in the country. In this fascinating history of the old lighthouse and the fog signal station, the author has combined her wide knowledge of the island's history with information gleaned from extensive research into Trinity House's archives. Some tantalising insights into the life of the keepers and their families have emerged - the keeper who was too tall for the lantern room; the keeper's wife who tragically died of water contamination, and the gunners who poached their dinners and hid their numerous children when the Elder Brethren came to inspect the cottages! Interwoven throughout the story are details of the numerous wrecks from the 15th century until 1897. Accounts from newspapers are often included, and the wrecks are linked to the lighthouse keepers of the time and the heroic rescues performed by the lighthouse staff.There are also some wonderful snippets of island history - one owner regarded Lundy as independent of mainland authorities and issued his own 'puffin' coins and stamps - the latter are still in use to cover postage to the mainland although the coins are now collectors' items. The height of the Old Light soon proved to be its downfall and eventually the reason why it was extinguished. Due to Lundy's plateau-top fogs which completely obscured the lantern, although there was clear visibility at ground level, a programme of alterations and intensifications took place under the advice of Professor Faraday. In 1862, a fog signal station was built on the west coast, providing shipping with another warning. This was not wholly successful either and it was not until 1897 that the Old Light was replaced by new lights on lower levels at the north and south ends of the island. Since the light was extinguished, the Old Light and the fog signal station reverted to the owners.The Landmark Trust restored the lighthouse and holiday-makers can now stay in the keepers' quarters, climb the 147 steps to the lantern room, and enjoy the breathtaking views across the whole island to the coasts of Wales and Cornwall. Owned by the National Trust, Lundy Island is an outstanding area of great natural beauty which attracts many visitors, who frequently return year after year to enjoy this special place. Set atop the rocky plateau of Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, the Old Light stands proudly - a monument to the skill of its builder, Joseph Nelson. This work tells the story of Lundy's Old Light, which is set into the context of the island as a whole. It features photographs, drawings, maps, plans and newspaper extracts. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. A book that reveals life in the Scottish Highlands with all its humour and character.After 20 years working as a professional biologist, the author decided to retire to the Highlands, moving with his wife to a croft at the edge of a small and somewhat inaccessible village on the west coast. This was no romantic and idealistic aspiration for the Good Life, nor really an attempt to get away from it all; rather a growing disaffection with living in the overpopulated south of England and a desire to return to his Scottish roots. Moving was like stepping back 50 years in time: most of the other residents of this tiny hamlet had been born and bred there, the majority were Gaelic-speaking and, with few of the conventional services, there was a strong sense of community that had been missed.This engaging story gives a collection of cameos from those first few years as they moved into and settled in their remote smallholding. It is developed as a series of short 'anecdotes' about life in this isolated west-coast Scottish community. Actual anecdotes are interwoven with snippets of natural history observation related to various topical wildlife issues.In the tradition of Lillian Beckwiths The Hills is Lonely, the stories revolve around the strong characters who made up this isolated community and became part of their everyday life. All the people and events described in this book are real, although places and names may have been changed. Enough clues remain that professional biologists or those with a keen interest in natural history will readily identify the peninsula. After 20 years working as a professional biologist, the author decided to retire to the Highlands, moving with his wife to a croft at the edge of a small and somewhat inaccessible village on the west coast. This book is a joy to read and reveals Highland life with all its humour and character. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. A professional biologist with wide experience of working both in the UK and overseas, Rory Putman takes us with him on working trips to Iceland, East Africa, Nigeria and Indonesia, introducing us to the countries and their people, their natural history, and explaining some of the wildlife issues which have prompted himself and his colleagues to travel there in the first place. The stories cover episodes from more than four decades of working as a jobbing biologist overseas. The understanding required to solve problems and seek solutions to particular issues related to management and conservation of wildlife means that in some way the observer becomes much more intimately engaged, and perhaps gains a different perspective of the country and its culture than might be apparent to a more casual outside onlooker. To some extent, that deeper involvement enables Rory Putman to give the reader more of an inside view and introduction to the countries and their wildlife from a wholly personal perspective. Like many other enthusiastic naturalists, the author enjoyed experiencing new habitats and seeing wonderful and exotic species on his travels and this engaging book will carry the reader along on the journey. Describes the authors adventures in Iceland, East Africa, Nigeria and Indonesia from the late 1960s to the late 1990sA blend of observations on the natural history, the peoples encountered and their cultureA travelogue as seen through the eyes of a professional biologist Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Black Rood tells the fascinating story of one of Scotlands oldest and most significant crown jewels. Once as famous as the Stone of Scone, the Black Rood was a gold and jewel-studded reliquary for a piece of the True Cross. This profound and holy treasure was smuggled into Scotland after the Norman invasion by the sister of the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. On her marriage to King Malcolm III, the Black Rood passed into the Scottish royal family, and so became a symbol of the authority and legitimacy of Scotlands kingship. Giving its name to the abbey and then the palace and now the parliament of Holyrood, the Black Rood was to help define Scotland as a kingdom which was at least the equal of England in the eyes of God, and in some ways superior to it.David Willem tells the story of the Black Rood though the lives of the kings and queens of Scotland and England who honoured it, treasured it, enacted themselves through it, fought over it, and who sometimes died clutching it, so creating a history in vivid human detail that ranges over a thousand years of Scottish and English history.At the same time, the author tells the story of two other similar reliquaries of the True Cross the Croes Gneth of Wales and Irelands Cross of Cong. Like the Black Rood, these Irish and Welsh crown jewels helped define the autonomy and independence of their nations, and both were to follow similar trajectories through time. The book ends with the mystery of what happened to the Black Rood, and explores the possibility that, like the Cross of Cong, it might still exist and be waiting to be found.Together these stories create a new and compelling perspective on the relationships between Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland, just when those relationships are changing again for the first time in hundreds of years. This book tells the fascinating story of one of Scotlands oldest and most significant crown jewels. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Ultimately, the book asserts that the Cairngorms are nature's place. Crumley proposes a radical solution to safeguard the mountains from a threatening array of forces ranged against them. In his conclusion he invokes what Seton Gordon called "the spirit of the high and lonely places". This is the work of a man who has known and loved the Scottish Cairngorms for more than 30 years. Jim Crumley marks nature's rhythms with observations of bird, beast, flower and landscape, and proposes a radical solution to safeguard the mountains from the forces ranged against them. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Turreted fairytale peaks, glistening snowfields, waterfalls plunging over immense cliffs into the sea, a million tons of ice capsizing - this is the setting for "Fallen Pieces of the Moon", an account of a kayak trip along the west coast of Greenland, paddling about 150 miles of coastline in the Nuuk fjords area. Into the day-to-day account of contending with unsettled weather such as fog, unstable icebergs, midges and bugs by the billion, are woven insights into Inuit culture - their language, their shamanic practices, their hunting and navigation techniques and much more. On the way, the reader learns a great deal about the Arctic animals, pollution and the Arctic environment. Information on the early Arctic whalers, when whole fleets were beset and crushed by ice, is included; and an appreciation will be gained of the hardships endured by the Viking settlers and explorers such as Frobisher and Franklin who suffered scurvy, frostbite and starvation. Told with humour, the book is endlessly informative and entertaining on topics ranging from cannibalism, kayak rolling and Inuit string games to cargo cults or how the invention of bully beef influenced naval tactics."Fallen Pieces of the Moon" is a celebration of a sparse, billion-year-old landscape where the roots of things, both physical and human, seem less hidden. It conveys something of the wonder and awe that Greenland inspires in all who have been there. It describes days of absolute stillness, sliding though shoals of waxing suns; ephemeral cloudscapes on broad-winged breezes; a high corrie where jet black ravens float in a crystal bowl of Alpine air; and the ever-present icebergs like cathedrals of glass, like floating jewels, like fallen pieces of the moon. Turreted fairytale peaks, glistening snowfields, waterfalls plunging over immense cliffs into the sea, a million tons of ice capsizing - this is the setting for this work, which is an account of a kayak trip along the west coast of Greenland, paddling about 150 miles of coastline in the Nuuk fjords area. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. In the 19th century, the Stevenson engineers pioneered marvellous lighthouses around the coasts of Scotland - lighthouses which inspire with their architectural elegance, and speak of compassion for sailors and fishermen risking their lives in these notoriously dangerous waters. But what was it actually like to be a Scottish lighthouse engineer, and how did the professional activities interact with social and economic conditions in Scotland at the time? How did the Northern Lighthouse Board's Engineer (almost invariably a Stevenson) cope with weeks aboard a small lighthouse vessel, travelling around the rugged Scottish coastline on dangerous tours of inspection and interacting with local people in some of the remotest regions of Europe?The author reveals the fascinating story of the Stevensons as family members as well as engineers - brilliant yet fallible, tough yet vulnerable, with private lives that are little known, even to lighthouse enthusiasts.It sets their work in a historical and social context, drawing heavily on eye-witness accounts by two of Scotland's most celebrated literary sons: Walter Scott, internationally famous poet and member of the Edinburgh establishment; and Robert Louis Stevenson, young family member and disenchanted engineering apprentice desperate to become an author. The reader is taken to the Orkney and Shetland Islands with descriptions of the chain of Stevenson lighthouses that illuminate a vital shipping route between the North Sea, Baltic, and North Atlantic. Finally we travel to Muckle Flugga, the northernmost outpost of the British Isles and last link in the chain, a vicious rock on which David and Thomas Stevenson dared to build their 'impossible lighthouse'. This is a personal story about some of the most famous engineers Scotland has ever produced and places the lives and work of the world-famous Stevenson lighthouse engineers in their social and historical context. It draws on eye witness accounts from Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Paperback. Condizione: new. Paperback. Money Talks is a fast-paced history of the humble British coin, the events which at times literally shaped it and the stories reflected in its creation.It has been used to barter and to bribe, to hold a cloak in place and to pay a kings ransom, been an object of pride and a symbol of courage. The coin has witnessed the great events in history about kings and queens and the transfer of power and it speaks to us of generations passed, of battles and heroic deeds, of countries and empires as well as of moments we would rather forget.Money Talks is about how such a small object of desire has been regarded as a symbol of power and authority for more than 2,500 years. It traces British history through the one thing that has come to dominate our lives hard cash and it demonstrates how monarchs down the centuries have used it to fund their wars, maintain their lifestyles and portray their image to prove their position or legitimatise dubious claims to the throne.From time to time the coin has slipped out of use altogether as bartering goods was preferred to poor quality coinage for day-to-day business. It has been hoarded for safer times and simply used as adornment. But even as the modern world turns increasingly to electronic transactions moving billions around the world at the touch of a button, the coin retains its place at the heart of everyday life. An illustrated story of British Monarchs and history featuring over 60 images of coins. Reveals the hidden stories behind coins and the background to designs. The story of Great Britain from the Iron Age to the present day. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.