Books published by Extremis Publishing Limited

Stirling was Scotland's ancient capital, and it remains its best preserved medieval city with its remarkable city walls and late medieval hospital, the oldest royal park, as well as one of the most striking Renaissance palaces in all of Europe. It is home to the world's oldest football and curling stone - and the home of tartan. Stirling was the grounds for the two most important battles in Scottish history as well as having fought Romans, Angles, Picts, Vikings, the English, other Scots, Oliver Cromwell, Jacobites and the Hanoverians, and it even played a key role in the preparations for D-Day. It is the place where our identity and indeed our very existence has been forged and repeatedly tested: the anvil of Scottish history. This beautiful city sits at the lowest crossing point of the River Forth. This means that every army that ever invaded or resisted invasion had to cross the river at Stirling. So, for the last 2000 years, blood and treasure were lost and heroes and villains created in a perpetual struggle for the control of this key location. This means that almost every single aspect of Scotland's history either impacts, or is impacted by, this amazing place.Take a fascinating journey through the centuries with Stirling's Burgh Archaeologist, Dr Murray Cook, as he considers the complex and lively history of this unique royal city. From the mists of prehistory through to the Home Guard, he charts the changing face of Stirling over the course of millennia, detailing some extraordinary archaeological finds and many little-known historical facts. Prepare to discover Stirling's secrets and mysteries for yourself!

When the Swinging Sixties arrived in Tayside, Robert Murray had just become the youngest manager in the history of famous grocery business William Low & Co. Ltd. at only nineteen years of age. Little could he have realised that this was to be just the beginning of a decade of incredible social and cultural change for Scotland and the wider world - a revolution which would touch every life and workplace.In this sequel to his much-loved book The Grocer's Boy, Robert discusses the trials and tribulations of being a traditional grocer at the dawn of the supermarket age, before moving on to new challenges later in the decade which included an eventful tenure in the fast-moving domain of college education and a step further afield into the busy corporate world.Recounting his loving family ties and enduring friendships, marriage and parenthood, nostalgic reminiscence and thoughtful reflection, The Grocer's Boy Rides Again takes a fresh look at this most iconic of decades, considering a country which was in a period of rapid transition but where a helpful attitude and good customer service remained of paramount importance.

Starting at Blairgowrie and proceeding through Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms National Park, the 90-mile-long Snow Roads Scenic Route ends at Grantown-on-Spey. It features the highest main road in the UK and, along the way, it offers the traveller some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery.What this book seeks to do is to take a look at what lies behind the incredible vistas, to tell the story of the people who once inhabited this ancient landscape, from the Picts to the more recent past. It's a story with a huge cast of disparate characters. Kings and queens; dukes and duchesses; earls and lairds. Criminals and conmen; chieftains and caterans. Road builders and railway builders; radical ministers and rhymers. Saints and smugglers; storytellers and songsmiths. Jacobites and Redcoats. Pioneers and heather priests. As testimony to their times, the landscape is dotted with standing stones and stone circles, castles and churches, old military roads and railways, holy sites and battle sites. And associated with them are myths, legends, and folklore - tales galore of love and death and derring-do, murder and ghostly goings-on. Appreciate the scenery for its own sake, but you will get much more from your trip, see the Snow Roads Scenic Route through more informed eyes, if you read this book first, or take it with you on your travels.And appropriately enough for a route with snow in its title, the author goes off piste as he visits other places of interest which should not be missed - and where he comes across even more astonishing tales to tell.

The whole world knows the legend that is Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns. But what was the story behind the meteoric success of this literary genius, whose works are still performed and enjoyed to this very day?Appearing in print for the first time, Robert Murray's acclaimed stage play follows the life of Burns from his formative years in Ayr through to his success and celebrity in Edinburgh and later farming life in Dumfries. You will meet his friends, learn of his inspirations, and discover intimate details of his many romantic encounters.Related with warm wit and keen insight, The Spirit of Robbie Burns delves into the life of one of Scotland's most complex and colourful characters to explore his timeless work and the world he lived in. The text of the play is accompanied by performance notes and detailed appendices, which will make it an essential addition to any good Burns Night celebration.

The SWC300 Route has been described as Scotland's Secret Corner - with some justification.This book seeks to shed a light on the history and culture of this largely ignored part of Scotland. By delving into the colourful events that happened here in the past, the intention is to enhance and enrich your exploration of this land of contrasts as you travel through its rolling hills and along its spectacularly scenic coastline.The Neolithic settlers, the first Christians, the medieval warlords and the reivers - all played a part in shaping this war-torn land. Sharing a common border with the Auld Enemy - the English - it was badly affected during the Wars of Independence, just as it was during the Covenanting period: what came to be called the Killing Time. Sad to say, there were more deaths from disasters down the mines, out at sea, in the air, and in what remains, to this day, the UK's worst-ever rail disaster.Follow in the footsteps of those who left their mark here. It's a varied cast of characters: kings, commoners and Covenanters; saints and sinners; murderers and martyrs; monks and ministers; poets and pioneers; engineers and explorers; artists and architects; geniuses and gypsies; writers and witches - even troglodytes and cannibals.There are ruined castles and tower houses; grand houses and gardens; abbeys and churches; standing stones and stone circles; museums and monuments; retired railway engines and planes from yesteryear.There are legends; folktales; and tales of the supernatural - all part of the rich tapestry that forms part of the greater and enthralling story that will be revealed to you as you explore what has been a neglected part of Scotland for far too long.It's hard to imagine there can be another part of Scotland that has so much to offer the tourist.

Since the earliest days of cinema, time travel movies have enthralled and amazed audiences across the world. With their tales of changing history and exploring possible futures, time travel cinema has repeatedly challenged critical expectation and proven popular with moviegoers the world over.In this exciting new study of the genre, Colin M. Barron explores the history of the time travel film from its formative period right up until the present day. Examining the golden age of time travel movies and their glory days in the 1980s through to the most recent features to have emerged in the past decade, he discusses the many elements which have made these films among the most memorable in all of science fiction cinema.Recounted with sharp wit and a keen eye for detail, "Travels in Time" is the essential guide to the past and present of time travel movies, with more than a few hints of what we can expect from the future of this endlessly fascinating category of film.

Dementia is a mental health condition which affects an estimated 50 million people worldwide. Yet it has, until recently, been an unfairly neglected subject in popular culture.Contested Mindscapes considers the ways in which the arts have engaged with dementia over the past twenty years, looking at particular examples drawn from the disciplines of film and television, popular music, performance art, and interactive entertainment.Examining a variety of creative approaches ranging from the thought-provoking to the controversial, Contested Mindscapes carefully contemplates the many ways in which the humanities and entertainment industries have engaged with dementia, exploring how the wide-ranging implications of this complex condition have been communicated through a variety of artistic nodes.

Naval battles have inspired countless films and television dramas over the years, recounting the bravery and tragedy that have unfolded over centuries of conflict on the high seas. From the author of Planes on Film and Battles on Screen, this book examines some of the most exciting features that have dealt with naval warfare, exploring the ways in which they have achieved critical success and enduring popularity with audiences.Victories at Sea considers the many different aspects of warfare on (and below) the waves as they have been depicted on screen, discussing such topics as amphibious operations, carrier warfare, underwater sabotage, and Cold War strategies. Covering films ranging from vintage World War II classics to modern seaborne thrillers, the book investigates the real-life stories which lay behind the production of these features as well as how they eventually came to be received at the box-office.From blockbuster Hollywood epics to must-see television series, Victories at Sea is a comprehensive guide to the greats of the genre, combining a forensic eye for detail with meticulous analysis of the features under discussion. With discussion of low-budget dramas and high-octane action movies alike, this examination of naval warfare on the big and small screens relates all of the exhilaration and gallantry that have made these films such lasting favourites amongst cinema and TV aficionados.

'It's all about the community', the words of Kenneth Ross, Chief Constable of Ross and Sutherland Constabulary, guided Ian McNeish through thirty years of police service. They were true then, back in 1974, and they are true now.Ian held a police warrant card for three decades, serving communities across Scotland. In that time, his work saw him moving from the northerly constabulary where he policed the rural Hill of Fearn to the social challenges that presented themselves amongst the urban landscape of Central Scotland.From his formative years in post-War Scotland through to his application to join the police service, Ian has led a rich and varied professional life that ranged from working in iron foundries to building electronic parts for the Kestrel Jump Jet and legendary Concorde aircraft. But once he had joined the police service, he found himself faced with a whole new range of life-changing experiences - some of them surprising, a few even shocking, but all of them memorable.Leading the reader through his involvement in front line situations, Ian explains the effects of anti-social behaviour and attending criminal court appearances, in addition to dealing with death and the responsibilities of informing those left behind. He considers topics such as ethics, public interest, police and firearms, drug issues, causes of crime, and a lot more besides.In a career where his duties ranged from policing national strikes to providing comfort and support through personal tragedies, Ian advanced through the ranks and saw first-hand the vital importance of effective management and good teamwork. Whether as the 'Fearn Bobby', policing a remote countryside outpost, as a seconded officer working for the Chief Executive of a Regional Council, or as a Local Unit Commander in Bo'ness, Ian always recognised the importance of putting the community first. Comparing today's policing techniques with his own professional experiences and examining both the good times and the harrowing pitfalls of the job, his account of life in the force is heartfelt, entertaining, and always completely honest.

Long before Thomas Cook made mass tourism to Italy possible in the 1860s there was the Grand Tour which, believe it or not, goes back a couple of centuries before that. Seen as a sort of educational finishing school for aristocrats, the Tour took in the Classical and Renaissance sights of Italy, finishing up in Naples and Pompeii. Now, on a package tour, along comes David M. Addison accompanied by his wife, aka La Belle Dame Sans Merci, who thinks he could do with a bit of polishing up as they take in the cultural hotspots of Naples, Pompeii, Assisi, Florence, Pisa, Siena, Rome and the Vatican.The sweep of this book takes the reader from Roman times to the Renaissance, from emperors to kings - including the artists and architects, the politicians and popes, the saints and sinners - all of whom exercised a major influence on their times. With an eye for the off-beat and the extraordinary, this is a personal account of what most impressed the author on his latter-day educational Tour.Seamlessly interwoven with the Italy of the past, is the author's take on present-day Italy. In a humorous, self-deprecatory style, he describes life as he sees it, the curious incidents he witnesses, the interesting people he meets, including his travelling companions. He makes no secret of the scrapes he gets into which arise out of his own eccentricities, nor the occasions when he causes embarrassment of the most cringe-making kind to his long-suffering wife.Much more serious however, was the time when, all alone, the author found himself accosted in the street by three menacing-looking men demanding his passport…

The Second World War was one of the defining historical events of the Twentieth Century. This global conflict was responsible for enormous trials and great heroism, and the horrors and gallantry that it inspired have formed the basis of some of the most striking movies ever committed to celluloid.From the author of Planes on Film, Battles on Screen offers both an analysis and celebration of cinema's engagement with World War II, discussing the actors, the locations, the vehicles and the production teams responsible for bringing these epics to life. Reaching across the decades, the impact and effectiveness of many classic war films are examined in detail, complete with full listings of their cast and crew.Ranging from the real-life figures and historical events which lay behind many of these features to the behind-the-scenes challenges that confronted the film crews at the time of their production, Battles on Screen contains facts, statistics and critical commentary to satisfy even the most stalwart fan of the war movie genre.

The 1980s were a golden age for action movies, with the genre proving popular at the box-office as never before. Across the world, stars such as Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis were becoming household names as a result of their appearances in some of the best-known films of the decade.But what were the stories which lay behind the making of these movies? Why were the eighties to bear witness to so many truly iconic action features? And who were the people who brought these legends of action cinema to life?In Dying Harder: Action Movies of the 1980s, Colin M. Barron considers some of the most unforgettable movies of the decade, exploring the reasons behind their success and assessing the extent of their enduring acclaim amongst audiences which continues into the present day.

The cinema of the festive season has blazed a trail through the world of film-making for more than a century, ranging from silent movies to the latest CGI features. From the author of The Christmas Movie Book, this new text explores the different narrative themes which emerged in the genre over the course of the 1980s, considering the developments which have helped to make the Christmas films of that decade amongst the most fascinating and engaging motion pictures in the history of festive movie production.Released against the backdrop of a turbulent and rapidly-changing world, the Christmas films of the 1980s celebrated traditions and challenged assumptions in equal measure. With warm nostalgia colliding with aggressive modernity as never before, the eighties saw the movies of the holiday season being deconstructed and reconfigured to remain relevant in an age of cynicism and innovation.Whether exploring comedy, drama, horror or fantasy, Christmas cinema has an unparalleled capacity to attract and inspire audiences. With a discussion ranging from the best-known titles to some of the most obscure, A Righteously Awesome Eighties Christmas examines the ways in which the Christmas motion pictures of the 1980s fit into the wider context of this captivating and ever-evolving genre.

Tales from the Western Front is a collection of stories about the people and places encountered by the author during more than three decades of visiting the battlefields, graveyards, towns and villages of France and Belgium.Characters tragic and comic, famous and humble live within these pages, each connected by the common thread of the Great War. Meet Harry Lauder, the great Scottish entertainer and first international superstar; Tommy Armour, golf champion and war hero; "Hoodoo" Kinross, VC, the Pride of Lougheed; the Winslow Boy; Albert Ball, and Jackie the Soldier Baboon among many others.Each chapter is a story in itself and fully illustrated with photos past and present.

Public speaking is one of the most important skills in personal and professional life. Yet too often this key ability is neglected, leading to presentations which are dull, uninspired and poorly delivered.The Craft of Public Speaking examines some of the crucial aptitudes which are fundamental to delivering an effective presentation for listeners. These include preparation, structure and rehearsal, in addition to some of the more overlooked aspects of oration such as the use of visual aids, adding humour, and dressing for success. As well as discussing how to deliver effective live addresses in public settings, the book also covers interview techniques for TV and radio along with how to organise seminars and conferences.Dr Colin M. Barron has delivered hundreds of lectures and presentations to audiences during a long career, giving speeches on a wide variety of different subjects over many years. In The Craft of Public Speaking, he shares the essential knowledge that you will need to become a truly successful public speaker.

Travelling anti-clockwise, David M. Addison seeks his kicks on Scotland's equivalent of Route 66. Otherwise known as NC500, the route takes you through five hundred miles of some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery. No wonder it has been voted as one of the world's five most scenic road journeys.There are many mays of exploring the NC500. You can drive it, cycle it, motorbike it or even walk it, even if you are not one of The Proclaimers! And there are as many activities, places of interest and sights to be seen along the way as there are miles. This is a personal account of the author's exploration of the NC500 as well as some detours from it, such as to the Black Isle, Strathpeffer and Dingwall. Whatever your reason or reasons for exploring the NC500 may be, you should read this book before you go, or take it with you as a vade mecum. It will enhance your appreciation of the NC500 as you learn about the history behind the turbulent past of the many castles; hear folk tales, myths and legends connected with the area; become acquainted with the ancient peoples who once lived in this timeless landscape, and read about the lives of more recent heroes such as the good Hugh Miller who met a tragic end and villains such as the notorious Duke of Sutherland, who died in his bed (and may not be quite as bad as he is painted). There are a good number of other characters too of whom you may have never heard: some colourful, some eccentric, some very eccentric.You may not necessarily wish to follow in the author's footsteps in all that he did, but if you read this book you will certainly see the landscape through more informed eyes as you do whatever you want to do en route NC500.Sit in your car and enjoy the scenery for its own sake (and remember you get a different perspective from a different direction, so you may want to come back and do it again to get an alternative point of view!), or get out and explore it at closer quarters - the choice is yours, but this book will complement your experience, whatever you decide.

One of the most durable genres in cinema, the aviation film has captivated audiences for decades with tales of heroism, bravery and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. Some of these movies have become national icons, achieving critical and commercial success when first released in cinemas and still attracting new audiences today. But what are the stories that lie behind the production of these films? How did they come about? Where were they filmed? How did the production teams get access to all of the aircraft? And how were the special effects achieved? In Planes on Film: Ten Favourite Aviation Films, Colin M. Barron reveals many little-known facts about the making of several aviation epics. Every movie is discussed in comprehensive detail, including a thorough analysis of the action and a complete listing of all the aircraft involved. With information about where the various planes were obtained from and their current location, the book also explores the subject of aviation films which were proposed but ultimately never saw the light of day. With illustrations and meticulous factual commentary, Planes on Film is a book which will appeal to aviation enthusiasts, military historians and anyone who has an interest in cinema. Written by an author with a lifelong passion for aircraft and their depiction on the silver screen, Planes on Film presents a lively and thought-provoking discourse on a carefully-chosen selection of movies which have been drawn from right across the history of this fascinating cinematic genre.