Scotland's greatest gift to the world has been itself, its culture, its creativity, the extraordinary ability of its people to integrate and celebrate what truly matters in global terms, friendship and decency. Add in our greatest export, Scotch whisky; our iconic clan and family tartans; our golf courses and musical traditions, and you have an identity that is instantly recognisable and internationally respected and loved. Wear a kilt in Manhattan or Paris and you make friends for life. Art, culture and history circulate the lives of Richard Demarco and Roddy Martine. This compelling sequel to Demarco's Edinburgh battles for the soul of Scotland, tracing its roots from ancient pilgrimage routes to modern-day artistic endeavours. Richard Demarco's personal odyssey, from his encounter with Terry Newman and Southampton College of Art to his profound connections with the Polish art world, forms the cornerstone of this narrative. As he reflects on the essence of the Edinburgh Festival, he unveils a vision where Scotland's cultural legacy transcends geographical boundaries, embracing the world. Martine's meticulously crafted essays encapsulate Scotland's artistic landscape. through insightful reflections on Demarco's journey, you are invited to ponder profound questions about identity, heritage and the transformative power of art. A testament to the enduring spirit of creativity and the timeless quest for meaning that defines Scotland's cultural heritage, this book serves as a poignant reminder of the country's evolution into a global beacon of culture and enlightenment.

The Edinburgh Festival of those days was a much more accessible village... The ground rules were well enough understood. Everything about it was containable. The Fringe was the seed bed for talent and ran happily in step with its established elders and betters. They both knew their place. But then something equally remarkable was about to take place in the New Town of the city I knew and loved... The same year, Roddy Martine is born. In 1963 when, at the age of sixteen, he interviewed Sir Yehudi Menuhin and David Frost for an Edinburgh Festival magazine he edited and the following year, met Marlene Dietrich. Both Richard and Roddy have unique perspectives on the most remarkable international festival of the arts the world has ever known. They have witnessed its evolution over the years and are passionate believers in the power of creativity within everyone. In this fascinating book, Richard – the 2013 UK recipient of the Citizen of Europe medal – explores the original world vision of Sir John Falconer and Rudolph Bing and, with Roddy, recalls the highs and lows of The Edinburgh International Festival, The Fringe, Art, Book, Jazz and Television Festivals, and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Now in its eighth decade, can the Edinburgh Festival survive? Where do we go from here?

Research and publications in the field of Astronomy have undergone dramatic changes in the last half-century. While activities just slowed down during World War II in the US and in Latin America, they were very strongly affected by the difficult conditions prevailing among the European belligerent nations. Half a century ago, re search activities were mostly confined to observatories (linked or not to universities) and usually separated from the teaching of physical sciences. Hence, directors of observatories played an important role in the choice of the research fields, and "schools" of research appeared at various places, de veloping specific instrumentation, reduction techniques and mathematical methods to achieve their scientific goals. Reorganising the research activities after the war was no minor under taking, specially because communications were interrupted for over five years and isolated continental Europe from overseas activities. Scarcity of observing instruments (some of them being requisitioned by occupy ing armies) , enormous gaps in the available litterature led to local research activities, conducted independently of similar efforts undertaken elsewhere.