Our Fathers Fought Franco
Title | Our Fathers Fought Franco PDF eBook |
Author | Willy Maley |
Publisher | Luath Press Ltd |
Pages | 232 |
Release | 2023-01-30 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 1804250783 |
James Maley, George Watters, Donald Renton and Archibald Williams were members of Machine Gun Company No. 2 of the XV International Brigade. This is the first book to focus on a small group of men from different starting-points, ended up in the same battleground at Jarama, and then in the same prisons after capture by Franco's forces. Their remarkable story is told both in their own words and in the recollections of their sons and daughters, through a prison notebook, newspaper reports, stills cut from newsreels, interviews, anecdotes and memories, with a foreword by Daniel Gray. Our Fathers Fought Franco is a collective biography that promises to add significantly to the understanding of the motives of those who 'went because their open eyes could see no other way'.
Edinburgh's Festivals
Title | Edinburgh's Festivals PDF eBook |
Author | David Pollock |
Publisher | Luath Press Ltd |
Pages | 454 |
Release | 2023-08-04 |
Genre | Performing Arts |
ISBN | 180425116X |
In August 1947, an émigré Austrian opera impresario launched the Edinburgh International Festival of Music and Drama to heal the scars of the Second World War through a celebration of the arts. At the same time, a socialist theatre group from Glasgow and other amateur companies protested their exclusion from the festival by performing anyway, inventing the concept of 'fringe' theatre. Now the annual celebration known collectively as the Edinburgh Festival is the largest arts festival in the world, incorporating events dedicated to theatre, film, art, literature, comedy, dance, jazz and even military pageantry. It has launched careers – from Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in Beyond the Fringe to Phoebe Waller-Bridge with Fleabag – mirrored the political and social mood of its times, shaped the city of Edinburgh around it and welcomed a huge all-star cast, including Orson Welles, Grace Kelly, Yehudi Menuhin and Mark E Smith's The Fall and many many more. This is its story.
The Wey Forrit
Title | The Wey Forrit PDF eBook |
Author | Stuart McHardy |
Publisher | Luath Press Ltd |
Pages | 139 |
Release | 2017-09-21 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 1912387093 |
The Wey Forrit is a political work written in Scots which examines the current British political climate, with a particular focus on how the inner workings of Westminster affect Scotland and her people. Arguing from a communitarian perspective, Stuart McHardy meticulously pulls apart the long-standing political ideas and traditions which many citizens of the United Kingdom have automatically accepted as correct or justified. He challenges his readers to re-think the consensus. Focusing on some of today's most highly discussed and potentially divisive topics - such as Brexit and Scottish Independence - McHardy lambasts the 'peelie-wallie politicians and lickspittle journalists' who protect the needs of the rich and sneer at those outside the realms of money and power. His views on the sovereignty of the Scottish Nation are also put forward, considering both the past and future implications of the way in which Britain came into being and the way in which it has been run for the three centuries since the Act of Union.
The Story of Dementia
Title | The Story of Dementia PDF eBook |
Author | John Killick |
Publisher | Luath Press Ltd |
Pages | 114 |
Release | 2017-09-16 |
Genre | Health & Fitness |
ISBN | 1912387085 |
The story of dementia as I present it in these pages is the alternative narrative which has been occupying the shadowlands of the subject, and which is much in need of bringing into the light. So far as we are aware, there has never been a book before with this title or aim. This may be because no-one has been foolhardy enough to attempt one! And it is true that this is a story in mid-flow, even perhaps still near the beginning. But the subject is so complex, and surrounded with so many misconceptions that, even in a truncated form, it needs to be told. John Killick has chosen a simple but effective format. Each of the nine main chapters focuses on an individual or individuals (twelve in number) who, in his view, have made significant contributions to our knowledge. The message is one of hope. Although the medical model has yielded little in the way of advances, that is not true of psychosocial initiatives. This little book tells the hidden story of positive approaches, and those who have devoted their lives to finding alternative creative solutions to one of today's great challenges. If your life is at all touched by dementia, you should be reading it.
Unlocking Scots
Title | Unlocking Scots PDF eBook |
Author | Clive Young |
Publisher | Luath Press Ltd |
Pages | 458 |
Release | 2023-06-14 |
Genre | Language Arts & Disciplines |
ISBN | 1804251062 |
The Scots language is the hidden treasure of Scottish culture. For many of us it is still how we speak to each other, how we express our feelings, our humour, even our Scottishness. It not only connects us to our communities at an emotional level but also links us to our past. Scots was created by millions of voices coming together to share words, phrases and jokes; to understand, act on (and often laugh at) the world around them. Aye, but what exactly is 'Scots' anyway? Usually spoken in a mix with Scottish English, at least nowadays, is it really a language at all? Was it ever? And what about its future? Dr Clive Young embarks on a quest to learn about the secret life of the language he spoke as a bairn. Along the way, he encounters centuries of intense argument on the very nature of Scots, from the first dictionaries, through MacDiarmid, The Broons, Trainspotting and on to present-day Twitter rammies. (And of course, endless stushies about how to spell it.) Some still dismiss Scots as 'just' a dialect, slang or bad English. Behind this everyday disdain Dr Young uncovers a troubling history of official neglect and marginalisation of our unique minority language, offset only by a defiant and inspiring linguistic loyalty. A refreshing counterbalance to the usual gloomy prognosis of Scots' supposedly 'inevitable' demise, Dr Young sketches out a practical roadmap to revitalise Scotland's beleaguered tongue and simple ways we can all keep it 'hale an hearty' for future generations. Acause if you dinna dae it, wha wull?
Hibernian
Title | Hibernian PDF eBook |
Author | Tom Wright |
Publisher | Luath Press Ltd |
Pages | 565 |
Release | 2017-12-15 |
Genre | Sports & Recreation |
ISBN | 191238762X |
[CDATA[Hibernian Football Club, founded by a group of Edinburgh-based Irishmen and Irish descendents, was born in the Cowgate area of the city in 1875. A team of the people, its long history, heritage and rise to fame has created a tradition and influence that helped shape the game as we know it today. In Hibernian: The Life and Times of a Famous Football Club, Tom Wright looks at Edinburgh's Hibernian Football club from its birth in 1875 to the present day. An anecdotal and personal journey, this volume highlights the many challenges, and lows and highs experienced by the team and its dedicated fans over the last 142 years; exploring the events that shaped the club from both World Wars, Hibs' 'Famous Five' days, the European Cup and the Scottish Cup win in 2016.]]
Socialism & Hope
Title | Socialism & Hope PDF eBook |
Author | Neil Findlay |
Publisher | Luath Press Ltd |
Pages | 331 |
Release | 2017-09-17 |
Genre | Political Science |
ISBN | 1912387077 |
The last few years have seen a Scottish independence referendum, a couple of General Elections and a vote on whether or not we should remain in the European Union. Throw in two uncompromising Labour leadership battles at UK level and a couple in Scotland, and it would be true to say that nothing less than a political whirlwind has swept through the corridors of the Scottish Parliament since it 'reconvened' in 1999. Following the turbulent six years for which Neil Findlay has been a member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothian, Socialism & Hope tracks the highs and lows of his personal and political life. From standing in the 2014 election to become the Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, to acting as Jeremy Corbyn's Scottish campaign chief in the 2015 and 2016 leadership elections, Neil's political career has been tireless and active. This book, described by Jeremy Corbyn as 'an honest, frank and challenging – as well as humorous of course – account of his time [...] at the forefront of Scottish politics', also includes Neil's inside view on the events of the 2014 Scottish Referendum and the rise of a more socialist Labour Party. With its entertaining narrative, it provides unprecedented and personal insights from within the political sphere itself. As well as surveying the past few years of political tumult, Socialism & Hope also looks forward to envision a society transformed by a revitalised Labour movement.