Alumni Services

November 2015

In our last bookshelf before Christmas we highlight some potential alumni authored stocking fillers.

1.

Author Jamie Burn
Degree Policy Studies MSc
Book The Little Boy with his Head in the Clouds

Burt Marshmallow lives happily in the countryside with his mother and father and golden retriever Sandy. The only problem is, he’s always daydreaming and away fighting imaginary monsters. Then one day he strays too far from home and his dreams – and nightmares – start to become all too real. But is Burt really up to being the hero he’s always wanted to be?

Aimed at readers aged 7-9, The Little Boy with his Head in the Clouds is a classic fantasy story that encompasses everything, from talking animals to giants, trolls and witches. Author Jamie Burn tackles environmental issues in a child-friendly way, as he believes these ideals should be implemented from an early age, along with positive messages about responsibility, self-esteem and growing up – other themes featured throughout the book

The Little Boy with his Head in the Clouds

2.

Author Audrey Henderson
Degree MA, Moray School of Education
Book Airstream

In her poetry collection Airstream, Audrey Henderson, like her literary hero Robert Louis Stevenson, travels through Scotland, Continental Europe and the United States, where she encounters people who have pursued their passions to the extremes of physical, artistic or spiritual experience, sacrificing everything in the process. Along the way she finds environmental catastrophe and the grace of daily life, viewing them through a perspective that veers from the domestic to the universal.

Airstream

3.

Author Alistair Kerr
Degree LLB, History BA
Book Betrayal: The Murder of Robert Nairac GC

Shortly after midnight on the 15th May 1977, undercover British soldier Robert Nairac was abducted by a lynch-mob comprised of some Provisional IRA supporters and two PIRA members. He was interrogated under extreme torture and then shot dead in a remote rural area near Ravensdale Forest. He was twenty-eight years old, and his body has not yet been recovered.

A myriad questions remain: the circumstances of his death; the events leading up to it; and Nairac’s various relationships with the RUC, IRA, SAS, Irish communities and others during The Troubles in Northern Ireland are all mysterious. The IRA subsequently have tried to justify Nairac’s murder. And certain soldiers and former soldiers – both officers and other ranks, especially some connected with the SAS – as well as people at the heart of British politics added their voices to the chorus of denunciation of Nairac. How and why did this come about?

Alistair Kerr has spent three years finding the answers to at least some of these questions, and in the process uncovered a complex web of secrets and lies.

Betrayal: The Murder of Robert Nairac GC

4.

Author Patrick Lydon (with Suhee Kang)
Degree Art, Space and Nature MFA
Book Final Straw / Wisdom from the Field

The authors spent four years exploring the lives of natural farmers and philosophers in Korea, Japan, and the United States. Coming on the heels of a recently released documentary film of the same title, this book pairs warm visual imagery with bite-sized bits of "philosophy from the field." Rekindling a notion of our relationship with this earth, Final Straw reminds us of the human depth which is so easily lost in a busy, fast-paced, stressful life.

In our current state of social and ecological distress, the perspectives and inspirations found in this little book come across as strikingly relevant; offering a glimpse into a remarkable way of living with nature, one that finds equal application in the city as it does in the countryside. (Only available in Korean language)

Final Straw / Wisdom from the Field

5.

Author Iain Macwhirter
Degree

Politics

Book Tsunami: Scotland's Democratic Revolution (e-book)

Following on from the critically acclaimed Disunited Kingdom: How Westminster Won A Referendum But Lost Scotland, Iain Macwhirter casts his expert eye over the SNP’s victory in the 2015 General Election, which saw Scotland swept by an unprecedented wave of yellow. One of the UK’s most insightful political writers, Macwhirter examines the factors behind this result including the demise of the Labour Party in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP vision and leadership, the growing dissatisfaction with Westminster, and the enduring passion for independence.

Tsunami: Scotland's Democratic Revolution

6.

Author Anonymous
Degree

Arts MA 1995

Book Digital resource supplements to accompany Accessing Books - A Guide for Dyslexic Adults

Three new resources that support dyslexics to engage with books are available online. They are free downloads and complement the self-help guide ‘Accessing Books - A Guide for Dyslexic Adults’.

Series of books for adults designed to be dyslexia-friendly

Strategy flashcards for engaging with books

Mainstream books – what constitutes a good choice for you

Please note

All of the further information links listed are the external websites of the book publisher, the author, or the bookseller. The University of Edinburgh is not responsible for the content and functionality of these sites.