Scotland Books

This is an odd little book of reminiscences of a Scottish village after WWII. The references do not mean much to me, but it feels like the small concerns of that place and time. There is not much of a story, more like some character sketches. The mood of the book is somber and the writing is clear and evocative.

God and Heroes of the Celts is an excellent, approachable, rich text that provides a wonderful introduction to ancient Celtic myth, religion, and culture. Sjoestedt discusses the traits of Celtic mythology, the Gods of the Continental Celts, the Mother-Goddess concept (in Ireland specifically), the concept of the Chieftain God, the relationship between the physical and mythical/spiritual world, and the role of the hero within and the hero outside of the tribe. These topic selections cover a great deal of important concepts in ancient Celtic mythology and society, and while the chapters aren't very long, Sjoestedt makes clear and important arguments that are easy to read without being innately obvious or insignificant. My only regret about this book was the length: I wish it had been longer, covered more subjects, and contained more depth (such as contradictions within the myths and more information of the various Gods and Goddess [or God/Goddess types]). Nonetheless, this is a readable, accurate, useful introduction to ancient Celtic religion, and I highly recommend it to the curious reader both as a good read and as a lead-in to further study.

Perhaps the best part about this book is its approachability. The shortness of the text and strength of the arguments could make for a dense, difficult text, but instead Gods and Heroes of the Celts is easy to follow while still containing well-reasoned, strong arguments about the nature of Celtic belief and mythology. The best books on ancient Celtic religion are generally academic texts that can make for difficult reading, and so this text serves a necessary function by introducing the topic and indicating key themes in a way that is accessible to even the newest readers. Despite its place as an introductory text, Gods and Heroes of the Celts isn't basic or obvious: rather, Sjoestedt digs through popular misconceptions and Mediterraneans/Greco-Roman interpretations of Celtic religion in order to make arguments that are informed, accurate, and based in Celtic mythology and culture.

The arguments themselves make up some of the underlying features of an academic, uncontaminated approach to ancient Celtic religion. The concept of the Mother-Goddess is related to the earth and so to natural earth cycles, both creative and destructive; the Chieftain God is related to the Tribe, which must both overcome and work in tandem with the Earth; the heroes are divided into opposing but non-contradictory concepts of of intra- and extra-tribalism; etc. These arguments draw connections between and help make sense of the wide breadth of Celtic myth. Sjoestedt also explains the danger of some previous, popular, faulty interpretations of Celtic myth which interpret Celtic gods from a Greco-Roman viewpoint by either misinterpreting or simplifying gods and goddesses into roles such a sun gods and moon goddesses or else which interpret contradictions as errors and try to reconcile and simplify concepts such as this world v. the Otherworld and the tribal hero v. the non-tribal hero. As such, Sjoestedt's arguments are helpful both by introducing useful, accurate interpretation and by warning the reader away from inaccurate interpretations.

All in all, I very highly recommend this book. I enjoyed reading it and, at such a manageable length, expect to reread it at a later date for a refresher on Sjoestedt's arguments. It is approachable, enjoyable to read, a good introduction and useful guidance (both towards accurate arguments and away from inaccurate ones) and well researched. The translation that I read (the Turtle Island Foundation edition translated by Myles Dillon) seemed to me to be very good: easy to read, and the language felt natural. If ancient Celtic religion interests you, definitely pick up a copy of this book: it's inexpensive, useful, and very easy to read. Your research shouldn't stop here, because the length prevents Sjoestedt from covering a wide breadth of topics or going into great depth, but it is a good read and a great introduction.

THE BOOK, WRITTEN A LONG TIME AGO,DESCRIBES MANY OF THE MODERN GOLF CLUBS,TEACHING METHODS, AND VIDEO APPROACH,IN AN ALMOST UNCANNY WAY. EVEN THE NOVICE WILL RECOGNIZE THE NEWER ITEMS IN THIS HAPPY STORY WRITTEN A LONG LONG TIME AGO--YOU MUST READ IT, EVEN WITH A 20 PLUS HANDICAP.

This map is an invaluable tool for planning a golf trip to Scotland. It not only shows the location of every golf course. but also provides phone numbers and web sites for each course. Oh yea, it's a great roadmap, too, with insets for Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The Golf Widow Travels Scotland is a guide to enjoying one's travel experience in Scotland, especially if one is an avid golfer or in the company of a golfer. From dealing with unwieldy luggage to must-see sites across the whole of Scotland to hours and directions for out-of-the-way places and much more, The Golf Widow Travels Scotland offers a homestyle perspective from a woman with 35 years of solo travel experience. Much more personal than an ordinary travel guide, The Golf Widow Travels Scotland is written with humor, flair, and uncanny insight into how to truly spend quality time in another nation.

Notable members of Free Masonry are George Washington, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Teddy Roosevelt & Franklin D Roosevelt.
The movement strived to develop a perfect moral order based upon
Sacred Law. The free masons sought to help the poor. They were
dogmatic in a common belief in G-d. Many statutes were in Latin.
The Masons regulated trade from 1356 onward somewhat like
Adam Smith's description of trade restrictions in the Wealth of Nations. Generally, the most skilled tradespersons advised the
mayor of acts and art impacting the trades. Skilled persons were
encouraged to work at a preferred trade provided that a long
apprenticeship had been completed. An apprentice could not
spend less than 7 years in his/her trade.

Traditional Coats of Arms of Masons included Ms. Roll,
Carpenters, Joiners and Marblers. Solomon's Seal was said to
encourage or engender a reasoning process leading to
extinguishing fires and the performance of other powers.
The historical Cabbala was received by tradition.

This work is a goldmine for political theorists, educators,
historians, journalists, students of the Masons, divinity
students and a wide constituency in academia. It is worth the
price charged for enthusiasts in the Art of Masonry.

World War One was over. The two main protagonists had been Great Britain and Germany who, between them, possessed the two largest naval fleets in the world. Germany was beaten and her ships interned with skeleton crews in Scapa Flow whilst decisions were made as to which of the victorious allied nations got which ships to add to their own fleets - as war reparations. To the victor go the spoils and all that.

In the meantime Germany was changing fast. The Kaiser and German imperialism were gone and a new Republic was born. On board the ships in Scapa Flow ordinary sailors no longer took orders from their officers. They were now republicans and they set up workers councils and undertook only those tasks which "they" saw as essential. As a Navy they were a sorry sight.

Against this backdrop, the man in charge of those ships and crews was Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter who was a fine commander of the old school. Whilst the British were simply trying to run a floating prison camp, von Reuter hatched a plan to deny the victorious Allies all the ships under his "command." They included 5 Battlecruisers, 11 Battleships, 8 Cruisers and numerous Destroyers. But!, he could not trust all of those under his command with knowledge of either his plan - or even that one existed.

Nevertheless, on 21 June 1919, under the very noses of those British guards and also under the very noses of certain crew members who would have spoiled his plans, von Reuter successfully scuttled his entire fleet.

This is an essential account where the author tells that entire story so exceedingly well. It is an excellent read and I congratulate him for his painstaking research and for the well written text.

NM

This book is wonderful. It gives you a name of a town, how far it is from a couple of places, a quick overview of the site, where to stay, how much that stay will cost and what ther is to do outdoors. It offers a wide vareity of maps, along with interesting places to visit. There are many extra things in this book that are VERY helpful. For example I am a student and I plan to ride the bus. This book told me that I could get a student discount for bus passes. I can honestly say there is SO much information in this book it is unbelievable. It even covers what you should pack and little things like most hotels rarely give you soap. If you want to know EVERYTHING about GB look in to the book. It is VERY helpful.

Eight (8) of the Greatest True Crime Cases of Scotland Yard retold by the best mystery authors of their day.

1) THE STEALING OF MURIEL McKAY
Retold by Clive Egleton
It was a case of mistaken identity. The kidnappers following the lady in the Rolls-Royce had confused Muriel McKay with someone else. When her husband returned home that night he found an open handbag, its contents scattered on the stairway, a telephone on the floor, and the house deserted. Strange ransom notes and frightening phone calls served only to deepen the mystery. The search for Mrs. McKay's whereabouts became an agnozing struggle, a race against time to save her from the mysterious figure who identified himself only as M3.

2) NEILL CREAM, POISONER
Retold by Elizabeth Jenkins
Dr. Neill Cream was a courtly gentleman, fashionably dreassed. There was, to be sure, a curious look in his eye; and he seemed to spend more time prowling London by night than practicing medicine by day. But, as distinguished historian Elizabeth Jenkins recounts, it was not until far too many unsuspecting young women had died quite horribly that Scotland Yard setout to discover just what the mysterious "doctor" was up to.

3) THE CASE OF STANLEY SETTY
Retold by Andrew Garve.
It was a dimembered corpse wrapped in a parcel that the duck hunter discovered floating in one of the shallow salt flats along the Essex coast. Upon examining it, the Yard's forensic experts found a number of stab wounds and announced that it had fallen from a great height, possibly a plane. But who was it? Swiftly, methodically, the sleuths of Scotland Yard pieced together a fantastic and hair-raising story.

4) THE WEMBLEY JOB
Retold by Winston Graham
It took just ninety seconds for England's slipperiest robbers to make off with a third of a million dollars from a Wembley bank. It was done with sledgehammers and shotguns; and the identity of the culprits was well concealed. Still, in just three months a Scotland Yard robbery squad had broken the case wide open. The gang known as the Frighteners had met their match.

5) THE PORTLAND SPY CASE
Retold by Ludovic Kennedy
Hidden in their house was an incredible array of espionage devices: a high-powered radio station, a false-bottomed cigarette lighter, and concealed microdot messages. All this and more belonged to Peter and Helen Kroger, Russian trained spies. Their mission -- to obtain, highly secret weapons information from Britain's Portland Naval Base. Here is the exciting story of how Scotland Yard tracked the Krogers down and gathered evidence for an airtight case against one of Britain's most notorious spy rings.

6) DOCTOR CRIPPENS DIARY
Retold by Emlyn Williams
Dr. Crippen said his wife, Cora, had gone to America. Later he reported that she had died there. But, curiously, his secretary, Ethel Le Neve, was seen wearing Mrs. Crippen's jewelry. What had really happened to Cora Crippen? An investigation led to a grisly discovery in the basement of the Crippen home, but by then both secretary and doctor were nowhere to be found. It took Inspector Drew of the Yard to unravel one of the most fiendish crimes of the century.

7) THE SHEPHERD'S BUSH CASE
Retold by Russell Braddon
In an act of almost unprecedented violence, three policemen were gunned down in broad daylight just outside of London. The men of Shepherd's Bush Police Station were determined at all costs to find whoever was responsible for the cold-blooded murders. Shortly, what was to become one of the longest and most horrowing manhunts in the history of Scotland Yard was under way.

8) THE SIEGE OF SIDNEY STREET
Retold by Julian Symons
Sidney Street was suddenly ablaze with a cross fire of bullets as detectives and police attempted the capture of a gang of anarchists who had been cornered in a house there. Crowds came from miles around, and even Britain's Home Secretary, young Winston Churchill, arrived on the scene, along with the Scots Guards. Then came the fire brigade, who had rushed there to extinguish the fire burning out of control in the East End tenement where the desperate men were holed up.

UNDERESTIMATING the possible is the world's deadliest virus, but Malcolm MacEwen has a vaccine. This autobiography, prefaced by E P Thompson, is about a life changed by a motorcycle accident. It cost him a leg but during six months' convalescence he found another way of seeing the world.

MacEwen incisively analyses the Parliamentary Labour Party's support of the United States' genocidal excursions in Korea. Having been accused of the capital offence of treason, he is well-placed to document Attlee's hysterical attack on the Left and his subsequent introduction of NHS fees to pay for rearmament against the Soviet menace.

Despite MacEwen's intention to write an optimistic book about how Green politics has breathed new life into socialism, this is a profoundly depressing memoir.