Books published by Birlinn General

Richard Hannay sets off an a hair-raising journey through German-occupied Europe to meet his old friend, Sandy Arbuthnot in Constantinople. They struggle to subvert German espionage attempts in the Middle East and halt the further spread of pro-German sympathy in the Muslim world.Introduced by Christopher Hitchens.

A whirlwind tour of Scotland as it existed two thousand years ago. Moffat provides insight into old-Welsh speaking Celtic societies, defies the modern notion of geographical and linguistic constancy, and takes us back to when the Sons of Prophecy ruled and when the English kings of Bernicia held sway over vast swathes of what is now Scotland.

An informative but very readable and amusing investigation into the various types of flying pest. This new edition includes more up-to-date information on the highland midge, its biology and why it bites. This book explains the midge's dominant role in ecology, and highland culture, and also how it keeps the worst human depredations under control.

'Scottish Wild Flowers' is an ideal pocket-size guide to over 350 plant species found throughout Scotland. Packed full of information, and fully illustrated, it is a convenient guide for both visitors and residents of Scotland who wish to learn about the fascinating wealth of wild flowers that can be found there.

By the time of his death in January 1996, Norman MacCaig was known widely as the grand old man of Scottish poetry, honoured by an OBE and the Queen's Medal for Poetry. This book features 778 poems.

Recalled from active service, Richard Hannay is sent undercover on a crucial secret mission to find a dangerous German agent at large in Britain. Disguised as a pacifist, Hannay travels from London to Glasgow to the Scottish Highlands and Islands in his search, which eventually ends in a spectacular climax above the battlefields of Europe.

Presents the story of one of the Second World War's most unusual animal heroes - a 14-stone St Bernard dog who became global mascot for the Royal Norwegian Forces and a symbol of freedom and inspiration for Allied troops throughout Europe.

The Hebrides of Scotland - around 500 diverse islands - form the north-western Atlantic fringe of Europe. This book surveys the cultural landscape of this dramatically beautiful, complex and conflicted area, with emphasis on what may be interpreted through aerial photography.

Tells the story of two young noblemen - John Burnet, heir to the ancient house of Barns the last in a long line of Border reivers, and his cousin, Captain Gilbert Burnet, a dashing, ruthless soldier. Their lifelong rivalry results in treachery, betrayal and a desperate struggle for survival.

Tells the story of young clerk Peter Pentecost, who has a claim to the throne, and a tale of intrigue against King Henry VIII, where 'under the blanket of the dark all men are alike and all are nameless'.

Family is the one thing we all know about - whether family gives you strength, or breaks your heart, whether your idea of family stays steadfast through generations, or whether your family is a million miles away from kids or rosy-cheeked grannies. This book helps us think about and celebrate family moments and family members.

At the age of 10, Rowena Farre left the security of her parents' home in India and was sent to live with her aunt on a lonely croft in the wild and remote Highlands of Scotland. This autobiography offers insight into the private affectation of the raw Scottish Highlands on an unassuming young girl who made friendships with a talented seal.

Calum MacLeod had lived on the northern point of Raasay since his birth in 1911. 'So what he decided to do was to build a road out of Arnish in his months off. With a road he hoped generations of people would return to Arnish and all the north end of Raasay'. This book recounts the story of this man's devotion to his visionary project.

The drunk man lies on a moonlit hillside looking at a thistle, jaggy and beautiful, which epitomises Scotland's divided self. The man reflects on the fate of the nation, the human condition in general and his own personal fears. This book contains commentary and notes, and takes the reader through the author's complex and opaque use of language.

Sammar is a young Sudanese widow, working as an Arabic translator at a British university. Estranged from her son, she drifts, grieving and isolated. Life takes a positive turn when she finds herself falling in love with Rae, a Scottish academic. To Sammar, he seems to come from another world and another culture, yet they are drawn to each other.

Written by one of the all-time greats of Scottish literature, this work is a trilogy of novels: "Sunset Song" (1932), "Cloud Howe" (1933) and "Grey Granite" (1934). At each book's core is the heroine Chris Guthrie, as she grows from a child into adulthood through the Great War to the development of communism in the 1920s.

A history of the island of Gigha

Lawyer and politician Sir Edward Leithen has been diagnosed with advanced tuberculosis and has been given a year to live. A former colleague, American John S. Blenkiron, requests help to find his niece's husband, who appears to have flown from his very successful financial career to the Canadian north and Leithen agrees to help.

The first adventure of Scots lawyer and MP Sir Edward Leithen whose daily routine of flat, chambers, flat, club is enlivened by the sudden disappearance of an Oxford contemporary. As the investigation into the disappearance develops Leithen finds himself pitted against a terrifying international anarchist network called The Power-House.

Three high-flying men who suffer from boredom concoct a plan to cure it. They inform 3 Scottish estates that they will poach from each two stags and a salmon. They sign collectively as 'John McNab' and await the responses. Part of the "Leithen Stories" series, this novel discusses the hunting, shooting and fishing lifestyle in Highland Scotland.