Commissioned especially for Scotland's Year of Stories, Storm and Shore connects the west coast of Scotland's rich mythological past with the present day. When artist Lucy Salter comes to a remote Argyll coastline she aims to connect with nature in its wild state. Aid worker Dave McArthur is fleeing traumatic conflict. But they have both ventured into a borderland, layered by history, migration and repressed violence. It is a liminal place, storied by centuries of settlement and travel. Yet local tradition bearers, bard and seannachaidh, can channel the past. From these hauntings, a storytelling tapestry is woven from the sea, nature myth and weather. The long roots of our global crisis are laid bare in landfalls, wherein the crucible of Gaelic tradition, creatures of the sea meet the shore.

In the tradition of the great regimental histories of the past, this book records the fire which seared the ranks of the Twenty-Four Michigan Regiment of the legendary "Iron Brigade." Born as the result of a riot, led by a Virginian, met with coldness and hostility by the black-hatted veterans of the brigade, the Twenty-Fourth swore it would win their respect...and so they did with a vengeance. At Fredericksburg, in "artillery hell" and under a murderous crossfire from the guns of "Stonewall" Jackson and "Jeb" Stuart, they performed the manual of arms to stead the line. The first day at Gettysburg they sparked this remark from the confederate ranks..."That ain't no milishy, there's those damn black hats again." With the immortal First Corps they were ordered west of the town to hold long enough for the army to occupy the strategic heights behind them. They held, and by evening they had lost more men than any of the 400-odd Union regiments engaged in the battle. Still later they marched down "that crimson strip

Commissioned especially for Scotland's Year of Stories, Saut an Bluid offers an inspired blend of traditional storytelling with historical fiction to tell this tale that links Scotland and Norway's pasts together. In nine days of drama, the full smeddum of Scotland's Norse saga unfolds in pithy Scots. As Guid King Alexander tumbles to his death, a gutsy backstory comes to the boil. And at the heart of the crisis is Skald the Ferryman, storyteller of Pittenweem. What is his connection with the Maid of Norway, and the Corryvreckan whirlpool?

Storyteller Lea Taylor brings together stories from the rugged coastlines, rushing rivers, uplands and sweeping valleys of Midlothian. In this treasure trove of tales you will meet kings and queens, saints and sinners, witches and wizards, ghosts and giants, fools and tricksters - all as mysterious and powerful as the landscape they inhabit. Retold in an engaging style, and richly illustrated with unique line drawings, these humorous, clever and enchanting folk tales are sure to be enjoyed and shared time and again.

Lord Cockburn, Victorian defender of Edinburgh’s beauties, describes Calton Hill as ‘the Glory of Edinburgh’. ‘It presents us,’ enthused Cockburn, ‘with the finest prospects both of its vicinity and the city… it is adorned by beautiful buildings dedicated to science and to the memory of distinguished men.’ Following on from the success of Arthur’s Seat, the Journeys and Evocations series continues with a look at the events and folklore surrounding Edinburgh’s iconic Calton Hill. Standing only 338 ft (103m) high, this small hill offers a fascinating view of Edinburgh both literally and historically. The book brings together prose, poetry and photographic images to explore the Calton Hill’s role in radical and nationalist politics through the centuries, as well as taking a look at the buildings, philosophy and intrigue of a central part of Edinburgh’s landscape.

This collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in agriculture. The first chapter considers the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as plant biostimulants in agriculture. It considers the benefits of PGPR, such as their ability to promote plant growth and productivity under both normal and abiotic-stressed induced environments. The chapter also looks towards PGPR application as a sustainable and efficient method to enhance crop production. The second chapter reviews recent research on the use of PGPR as biofertilizers to enhance root function and improve nutrient uptake, with emphasis on their effects on root architecture, metabolism and adaptation to abiotic stress. The third chapter explores the use of microbial bio-effectors and their ability to optimise the mineral nutrition of agricultural crops. The chapter also reviews the wealth of research on the mechanism of action, applications and efficacy of key plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs). The final chapter reviews the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) as a biocontrol agent against invertebrate pests. The chapter analyses the effects of PGPB species against these pest types and enlists a case study on the PGPB species Pseudomonas protegens to further demonstrate this.

Scotland's Democracy Trail goes from Edinburgh Castle, Greyfriars, down the High Street, across North Bridge to Calton Hill, and then on down to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. Apart from its historic significance, the route encompasses Edinburgh's most dramatic scenery and townscape. The Trail follows the emergence of democratic thought and action in Scotland from the sixteenth century, linking pivotal events to locations on the way. It is a story of ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies, borne along by a stubborn persistent advance. Although the roots of democracy run deep in Scotland, here we concentrate on the footprint of democracy in our capital city.

In the bicentenary year of the publication of Sir Walter Scott’s first novel Waverley, this is a timely republication of Buchan’s work The Man and the Book, originally published in 1925. Buchan’s treatment is sympathetic but perceptive, and at points critical. Whilst acknowledging Scott’s weaknesses, the book also touches upon the creative pulse of his great predecessor’s achievement. Interspersed with superb extracts exhibiting Scott’s narrative arts, as a short introduction to and sampling of Scott, John Buchan’s work has never been bettered. To this day, this book remains the ideal advocate and guide to the great Sir Walter Scott.

BALLAD of the FIVE MARYS Yestreen the Queen had Four Marys Tonight she’ll hae but three There was Mary Seton, and Mary Beaton And Mary Carmichael and me. from ‘Mary Hamilton’, The Child Ballads The Mary Carmichael of the well-known ballad may be a fiction but Marys Seton, Beaton, Livingston and Fleming, together with Mary Stewart, comprised the real five Marys – assertive young women unafraid to question their place in society. Who was Mary Queen of Scots? Vilified as an adulteress, only to be immortalised as a martyr, where does history become legend? Why was Mary deposed? Who killed Darnley? Five hundred years after the Battle of Flodden and the birth of John Knox, this new take on Mary’s life explores not only the historical events which led to her demise, but the relationships and emotions of an increasingly isolated young woman faced with political and religious upheaval and her country’s gradual loss of independence. Our Sovereign Lady who now Reigns at this Hour, The Mighty Lord be ever her Protector And Make Her Marriage as He thinks Best, That Her Liege may Reign in Peace and RestTHE FORMAN ARMORIAL, C.1562

The garden is an oasis, a pocket of nature in our busy modern lives, full of plants, animals, insects - and a fair bit of magic. Folk Tales from the Garden follows the seasons through a year of stories, garden lore and legends. Explore the changing face of nature just outside your front door, from the tale of the Creator painting her birds and the merits of kissing an old toad, to pixies sleeping in the tulips, and an unusually large turnip.

Two extraordinary women come back to full-bodied life. Flora McIvor has been rescued from the pages of Sir Walter Scott, who sent her to a nunnery. Her close friend, the real life Clementina Walkinshaw, was the love of Bonnie Prince Charlie, and mother of his only child. Both are caught up in a tangle of espionage and treachery following the defeat of the 1745 Jacobite Rising in Scotland. The novel ranges over Europe, and finally to America, showing the international reach of Scotland’s culture and politics. Flora struggles through political failure and personal tragedy towards creative fulfilment in the arts of theatre, and a late discovery of love. In this drama, which combines storytelling with opera, she defies Scott who wrote her out of ‘Waverley’ as a woman without a future.

Experience the scenery and folklore of Edinburgh's iconic Old Town through new eyes in the latest installment in the Journeys and Evocations series. This blend of prose, poetry, photography and history is the perfect gift for any visitor to Scotland's capital city.

Arthur's Seat is climbed (or walked up and around) by thousands of people each year. The views from the top of the 350-million year old landmark are breathtaking, yet most who tread its rocky paths are unaware of its great mysteries. Where did the name Arthur’s Seat originate? What led Washington Irvine to claim that this was a site of ‘pure witchcraft’? And who concealed seventeen dolls on the hillside in a mock burial? In this memorable book, Stuart McHardy and Donald Smith recount the tales of folklore and customs that surround Edinburgh's tallest hill.

This lively and entertaining collection of folk tales from the Scottish Borders is rich in stories both tall and true, ancient and more recent, dark and funny, fantastical and powerful. Here you will find the Lochmaben Harper, Tam Linn, Thomas the Rhymer, Muckle Mou'd Meg and Michael Scot the wizard. These well-loved and magical stories - some appearing in print here for the first time - are retold in an engaging style, shaped by James Spence's many years of storytelling. Richly illustrated and enlivened by the rhythmic Scots language of the region, these enchanting tales are sure to be enjoyed and shared time and again.

The distinctive blend of emotions and responses each landscape stirs up are echoed in stories filtered through the voices of storytellers, the pens of poets and historians, and the tools of artists and crafters. We hope you will experience these too, as you journey with us through the landscape. The popular Journeys and Evocations series continues with the fourth instalment Travelling the Tweed Dales, an exploration of the Scottish Borders. Six journeys take the reader from Eildon Hills to Tweeddale, from Kelso to Gala Water, Ettrick and Teviotdale. The long history of the Borders and their unique culture is evoked through key personalities, events, stories and folklore. Complete with driving instructions and directions, the book is a travelogue, expressed through story, poetry and song, set against the landscape, in a previously unexplored way. Whether by foot, bike, bus, armchair or car, this book is your perfect travelling companion. Previous Journeys and Evocations books focused on Scotland’s capital city, exploring Arthur’s Seat, Calton Hill and Edinburgh Old Town.