The written history and archaeological records of Central Scotland takes us back to Pictish times some 5,000 years ago. The geology of the area stretches back a further 400 million years. The oldest rocks are found near Lesmahagow and in the Pentland Hills. Known geologically as 'inliers'- small areas of rocks from an older age, surrounded by younger strata - these strata have yielded some of the oldest fish on earth and are highly prized for what they tell us about early life on the planet. Rocks of the Old Red Sandstone and the succeeding Carboniferous era underlie the rest of Central Scotland in almost equal measure. Explosive volcanic rocks, thick layers of lava, desert sandstones, limestones and productive coal measures make up this bedrock patchwork. Then, sometime later, a covering of ice, some two kilometres thick, blanketed the landscape. It sandpapered and burnished the bedrock into the familiar scenes we see today - our matchless Scottish landscape. The coal and iron ore which lay beneath the ground between Edinburgh and Glasgow provided the raw materials that drove the Industrial Revolution in Scotland, and the early focus on understanding the rocks beneath our feet was unsurprisingly initially concentrated on the most useful minerals resources.

In addition to the history of the bases themselves, this book covers the histories of all the USAF units who served there and the aircraft types they operated. Lavishly illustrated throughout, with many rare and previously unpublished photographs, the concluding chapter brings the reader right up to the present day, with an insight into the development of the Bentwaters Cold War Museum. This book will be invaluable to any aviation enthusiast or historian who wishes to learn more about the USAF years at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge.

In many of the earliest Masonic manuscripts we read of the great influence of York and a mysterious Prince Edwin, on the history of Freemasonry. This has been assumed a myth by most historians. But a ].could these early stories regarding the importance of York be true? Or at least based on true events, confused as they may have become when handed down over centuries? The story which is told in these pages has never before been fully represented and will change the way we view the origins of Freemasonry in the British Isles forever. Join the Revd Neville Barker Cryer on a historical detective trail through the history of York Masonry, from the 9th to the 19th century. Discover - The true origins of the American a oeYork Ritea ? The hidden mysteries of the City of York The first recorded Speculative Masonic Initiations. The first Royal Arch Chapter in the world The truth about the rival a oeGrand Lodge of All England.

For a country with a relatively small population, Scotland has had a massive impact on the world. This intriguing miscellany uncovers the culture surrounding its shores, and celebrates the many characters, legends, firsts and inventions that have shaped the country's rich and majestic history. This eye opening collection of trivia will enlighten you on many of the myths surrounding Scotland. Bagpipes, tartan and haggis are all archetypal images of Scotland, and yet none of them likely originated here. Clan wars, family feuds, invasions and battles are just some of the historical subjects divulged in this fascinating miscellany. Scots have also helped to create modern life, with innovators ushering in the Industrial Revolution, medical breakthroughs, not forgetting the Scottish engineers famed across the globe. Along the way you will also find entries on the food, the sporting heritage and darker tales of murder most foul. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.

Logging in the northern forest has been romanticized, with images of log drives, plaid shirts, and bunkhouses in wide circulation. Increasingly dismissed as a quaint, rural pastime, logging remains one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, with loggers occupying a precarious position amid unstable markets, expanding global competition, and growing labor discord. Examining a time of transition and decline in Maine's forest economy, Andrew Egan traces pathways for understanding the challenges that have faced Maine's logging community and, by extension, the state's forestry sector, from the postwar period through today. Seeking greater profits, logging companies turned their crews loose at midcentury, creating a workforce of independent contractors who were forced to purchase expensive equipment and compete for contracts with the mills. Drawing on his own experience with the region's forest products industry, interviews with Maine loggers, media coverage, and court documents, Egan follows the troubled recent history of the industry and its battle for survival.

The Ancient Schools of Gloucester traces the history of education in the City of Gloucester from its origins in the cloister school of St Peter's Abbey about a thousand years ago. Starting in the early Middle Ages, the rivalries between the two Gloucester grammar schools maintained by St Oswald's and Llanthony priories are described. The contributions of the Benedictines, Augustinian canons and founders of the medieval chantries are assessed. The creation of new grammar schools in the reign of Henry VIII at the Crypt and King's is fully documented along with the development of these schools through the pivotal years of the Civil War and into the 18th century. There is a special focus on the career of Maurice Wheeler, Gloucester's most distinguished schoolmaster. As the country began to move towards mass education during the 18th century, the role of other initiatives, such as private schools for girls, Sunday Schools and Sir Thomas Rich's Bluecoat school for apprentice boys, is also covered. Whilst several histories have been published in the past of individual schools, this chronological and fully illustrated study is the first time an author has brought together the early histories of the ancient schools of the City into a single volume, which sets the Gloucester experience in its national context.

When 12 year-old Jared Johnson's little sister dies, just hours after his mother breathes her last after wasting away so her children could eat, he knows he is on own. Desperate to avoid the workhouse, he does everything he can to survive the inhospitable streets of Birmingham. Jared is blessed with the gift of the gab and soon attracts the attention of the King of the Tatters, Toby McGuire. Recognising a kindred spirit, Toby soon has Jared out on a cart hustling for rags. Jared loves driving his horse Bess, shouting 'any old rags' as loud as he can, and it's not long before he's thriving. But being successful can bring you enemies as well as friends. Toby knows that Jared is destined for bigger things - provided his big mouth doesn't get him hurt first... The top 10 best-seller is back with an unforgettable story about an unforgettable boy. Heart-breaking and heart-warming, fans of Katie Flynn, Val Wood and Lyn Andrews will fall in love with this latest page-turner from Lindsey Hutchinson. What readers are saying about Lindsey Hutchinson: 'Couldn't put this book down. Brilliant story with many sad bits, but lovely happy ending. I would thoroughly recommend this book.' 'What a fabulous book from Lindsey again. She never disappoints. Read in 2 days it really is unputdownable! Can't wait for the next one as I know it will be another cracker.' 'It's a while since I didn't want a book to end. I absolutely loved this story as I have all of this author's books. She can't write fast enough for me, every book has been as lovely as the last and as usual I can't wait for the next.' 'Oh my goodness, I fell in love with each and everyone of the characters, except Edith, am glad to say she got her just rewards. Lindsey, you make them so loveable and real. Read it in 2 days. Brilliant!!!'

Great Britain unearths the hidden legends, laws, landscapes, discoveries, adventures and locations that have shaped Britain's compelling, and at times, tumultuous past. Explore how Britain was formed - its geology and climate, the quirky characters and events of its history and the origin of British institutions, such as public schools, fish and chips and driving on the left hand side. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.

'I absolutely love Shari's books, funny, honest and heartwarming writing' Jenny Colgan, bestselling author Brand new from #1 bestseller Shari Low. An emotional roller-coaster, that keeps you guessing... One day in summer, three lives are about to change forever. After two decades of looking after others, this is the day that Agnetha McMaster is reclaiming her life. It's her turn, her time. But will she have the courage to start again? Ten years ago, Mitchell McMaster divorced Agnetha and married her best friend, Celeste. Now he suspects his second wife is having an affair. This is the day he'll discover if karma has come back to bite him. Thanks to a DNA test, this is the day that Hope McTeer will finally meet her biological father. But will the reunion bring Hope the answers that she's looking for? Three people. Twenty-four hours. A lifetime of secrets to unravel... What readers are saying about One Day In Summer: 'Wow! Where have Shari Low books been all my life?' 'The perfect summer read!' 'I loved this book so much and truly struggled to put it down at the best of times... it's definitely a must read!' 'The events will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. And it's a love story which is not at all predictable.' 'I am really hoping that this will be the start of another trilogy as I do so enjoy Shari Low's writing.' 'I absolutely adored this book, and that's not something I've said for a while.' 'It's a brilliant story, that shows that life is not static but is a series of twists, turns and unexpected detours that we have to learn to go with and work out as it goes along, and I loved it.' 'This book has everything, love, loss, betrayal, forgiveness and growth.' 'A story of family, friendship, lost love, betrayals, and hope that will keep you guessing until the very end.' 'Well, this is the first time in ages I've stayed up until 2 am reading a book! I just couldn't stop reading until I'd finished it.' 'Shari Low really does know how to write an emotional book that evokes all the feels!' 'One Day in Summer looks at lost love, betrayal, friendships, grief, siblings, adoption, and finding love. This was a great read, so many events happening simultaneously, a book I didn't want to put down. I recommend this for an uplifting read.'

Amazing and Extraordinary Facts: Ireland takes you on an absorbing journey around Ireland to unearth the adventures, inventions, legends, firsts and birthplaces that have shaped the unique history of Ireland. From Baltimore to Barbary, Titanic to Shergar, and even the myth of the Aran jumper, this intriguing compendium of facts and stories will give you a captivating insight into The Emerald Isle, and the ideas and events that have shaped the individual identity of this remarkable country. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.

The Rouge River is a mostly urbanized watershed of about 500 square miles populated by nearly 1.4 million people. While not geographically large, the river has played an outsized role in the history of southeast Michigan, most famously housing Ford's massive Rouge Factory, designed by architect Albert Kahn and later memorialized in Diego Rivera's renowned "Detroit Industry" murals. In recent decades, the story of the Rouge River has also been one of grassroots environmental activism. After pollution from the Ford complex and neighboring factories literally caused the river to catch on fire in 1969, community groups launched a Herculean effort to restore and protect the watershed. Today the Rouge stands as one of the most successful examples of urban river revival in the country. Rouge River Revived describes the river's history from pre-European times into the 21st century. Chapters cover topics such as Native American life on the Rouge; indigenous flora and fauna over time; the river's role in the founding of local cities; its key involvement in Detroit's urban development and intensive industrialization; and the dramatic clean-up arising from citizen concern and activism. This book is not only a history of the environment of the Rouge River, but also of the complex and evolving relationship between humans and natural spaces.

At the center of American history is a hole-a gap where some scholars' indifference or disdain has too long stood in for the true story of the American Midwest. A first-ever chronicle of the Midwest's formative century, The Good Country restores this American heartland to its central place in the nation's history. Jon K. Lauck, the premier historian of the region, puts midwestern "squares" center stage-an unorthodox approach that leads to surprising conclusions. The American Midwest, in Lauck's cogent account, was the most democratically advanced place in the world during the nineteenth century. The Good Country describes a rich civic culture that prized education, literature, libraries, and the arts; developed a stable social order grounded in Victorian norms, republican virtue, and Christian teachings; and generally put democratic ideals into practice to a greater extent than any nation to date. The outbreak of the Civil War and the fight against the slaveholding South only deepened the Midwest's dedication to advancing a democratic culture and solidified its regional identity. The "good country" was, of course, not the "perfect country," and Lauck devotes a chapter to the question of race in the Midwest, finding early examples of overt racism but also discovering a steady march toward racial progress. He also finds many instances of modest reforms enacted through the democratic process and designed to address particular social problems, as well as significant advances for women, who were active in civic affairs and took advantage of the Midwest's openness to women in higher education. Lauck reaches his conclusions through a measured analysis that weighs historical achievements and injustices, rejects the acrimonious tones of the culture wars, and seeks a new historical discourse grounded in fair readings of the American past. In a trying time of contested politics and culture, his book locates a middle ground, fittingly, in the center of the country.

The book provides an overview and analysis of the witch trials in the Scottish Borders in the 17th century. The 17th century was a time of upheaval in Scottish and British history, with a civil war, the abolition of the monarchy, the plague and the reformation all influencing the social context at the time. This book explores the social, political, geographical, religious and legal structures that led to the increased amount of witch trials and executions in the Scottish Borders. As well as looking at specific trials the book also explores the role of women, both as accuser and as accused.

Shortlisted for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2022 for Nature Writing - Highly Commended Winner for the Richard Jefferies Award 2021 for Best Nature Writing 'A rural, working-class writer in an all too rarefied field, Chester's work is unusual for depicting the countryside as it is lived on the economic margins.' The Guardian 'An important portrait of connection to the land beyond ownership or possession.' Raynor Winn 'It's ever so good. Political, passionate and personal.' Robert Macfarlane 'Evocative and inspiring...environmental protest, family, motherhood and...nature.' Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground, Costa Novel Award Winner 2021 Nature is everything. It is the place I come from and the place I got to. It is family. Wherever I am, it is home and away, an escape, a bolt hole, a reason, a place to fight for, a consolation, and a way home. As a child growing up in rural England, Guardian Country Diarist Nicola Chester was inexorably drawn to the natural landscape surrounding her. Walking, listening and breathing in the nature around her, she followed the call of the cuckoo, the song of the nightingale and watched as red kites, fieldfares and skylarks soared through the endless skies over the chalk hills of the North Wessex Downs: the ancient land of Greenham Common which she called home. Nicola bears witness to, and fights against, the stark political and environmental changes imposed on the land she loves, whilst raising her family to appreciate nature and to feel like they belong - core parts of who Nicola is. From protesting the loss of ancient trees to the rewilding of Greenham Common, to the gibbet on Gallows Down and living in the shadow of Highclere Castle (made famous in Downton Abbey), On Gallows Down shows how one woman made sense of her world - and found her place in it.

In 1984 the University of Washington Huskies won every game but one, ranking second in national polls. For most coaches, such a season would be a career pinnacle. But for Don James second place motivated him to set aside what he knew about football and rethink the game. James made radical changes to his coaching philosophy, from recruitment to becoming one of the first college teams willing to blitz on any down and in any situation. His new approach initially failed, yet it finally culminated in one of the most explosive teams in college football history. In Fear No Man, Mike Gastineau recounts the riveting story of Don James and the national championship team he built. Undefeated, the 1991 Huskies outscored opponents by an average of 31 points per game on their way to winning the Rose Bowl and a national championship. The team included twenty-five future NFL players, and in Gastineau's gripping account they come alive with all the swagger and joy they brought to the game. A brilliant examination of one of college football's greatest coaches and teams, Fear No Man is the inspirational story of an improbable journey that led to one classic and unforgettable season.

Cricket is a very old game in Scotland - far older than football, a sport which sometimes exercises a baleful, obsessive and deleterious effect on the national psyche. Cricket goes back at least as far as the Jacobite rebellions and their sometimes vicious aftermaths. It is often felt that Scottish cricket underplays itself. It has been portrayed as in some ways an English sport, a "softies" sport, and a sport that has a very limited interest among the general population of Scotland. This is emphatically not true, and this book is in part an attempt to prove that this is a misconception. Sixty-one games (it was going to be just 60, but one turned up at the last minute!) have been chosen from the past 250 years to show that cricket does indeed influence a substantial part of the nation. The matches have been selected at all levels, from Scotland against visiting Australian teams all the way down to a Fife school fixture. These naturally reflect the life, experience and geographical whereabouts of the author. The games are quirky sometimes, (and quirkily chosen) with an emphasis on important events in the broader history of this country, notably the imminence of wars and resumptions at the end of these conflicts. But the important thing is that every single cricket contest does mean an awful lot to some people.

Thirty-five miles east of Austin, McDade, Texas is quintessential small-town America. McDade's colorful history, from its founding in 1871 as a Wild West boomtown and continuing to the much quieter present day, comes to life in The Soul of a Small Texas Town. David Wharton's contemporary photographs of the community and its residents and his accompanying narrative reveal growth and decline, shared family histories, traditions, crises, and celebrations.

The book explores the impact of local issues, discusses how regional, national, and international events affect the community, and speculates about the town's uncertain future. A fascinating story, it is also an important reflection of life in small rural towns throughout the nation.