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Daily Record
29-04-2025
- Daily Record
'Hidden Stirling' uncovered in new book by city archaeologist
Archaeologist, author and Observer columnist Dr Murray Cook's latest book is set to reveal some of Stirling's hidden gems. 'Hidden Stirling: Outlawed, Unknown, Locked, Destroyed, Overlooked and Secret Gems from Scotland's Smallest City' is being released on Wednesday April 30 by local publishers Extremis. In the book, Murray unveils some lesser-known historical gems of this ancient Scottish city and its surrounding areas, offering readers a fresh perspective on its rich past. An Extremis spokesperson said: 'Explore the mysteries of some of Stirling's most celebrated buildings, from the Castle and Tolbooth to the Municipal Buildings and Golden Lion Hotel. 'Then discover the secrets of the surrounding area, where prehistoric fortifications whisper tales of ancient communities. 'Uncover the significance of the grand Church of the Holy Rude, the only surviving church in the United Kingdom apart from Westminster Abbey to have hosted a royal coronation, and unravel the enigmas of the Old Town Cemetery - a graveyard of European significance. ''Hidden Stirling' encourages you to journey beyond the familiar, revealing the city's untold tales and inviting you to see Stirling in a brand new light.' Dr Murray Cook is Stirling Council's archaeologist and has undertaken numerous excavations across the region and published over 40 books and articles. He won a Stirling's Provost Award in 2018 for his work for the council, where he has helped raise over £300,000 to be spent on community archaeology and research. He has appeared on several TV programmes and runs Stirling Archaeology, a Facebook page dedicated to Stirling's heritage. In March this year he was named the winner of the Outstanding Contribution to the City Award at the Stirling Business Awards. He is an Honorary Research Fellow at Stirling University, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, runs an occasional course as an associate lecturer at Forth Valley College in Stirling and also co-runs regular training digs open to all under the name Rampart Scotland. He runs a series of free walks, lectures and digs through the year to allow people to explore their past. Extremis Publishing Ltd, a leading independent non-fiction publisher based in Stirling, was recently named Non-Fiction Book Publisher of the Year for Scotland at the Business Excellence Awards 2025. The annual Business Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding achievement across the UK business landscape, recognising organisations that demonstrate innovation, impact, and a commitment to excellence in their respective industries. Since its establishment in 2015, Extremis Publishing has built a reputation for producing non-fiction titles spanning a wide range of subjects including Scottish culture, history, the arts, and popular media, championing voices that offer fresh perspectives and insightful storytelling. This includes their 'Writing for Publication' lecture series which takes place at Forth Valley College. Extremis Publishing's co-directors, Dr Tom Christie and Julie Christie, said: 'We are incredibly honoured to receive this award, especially during our tenth anniversary year. It's a testament to the hard work and passion of everyone involved in our publishing journey, from our talented authors to our dedicated readers. 'We remain committed to producing books that educate, inspire, and reflect the richness of non-fiction storytelling in Scotland and beyond.' 'Hidden Stirling' is available for pre-order from independent bookstores and online retailers, with a release date of Wednesday April 30. For more information about the book, including participating online retailers, visit: Click here for more news and sport from the Stirling area.
The Guardian
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Killing Time by Alan Bennett audiobook review
Set in the north of England in the early days of the pandemic, Alan Bennett's darkly comic novella unfolds in a home for elderly people named Hill Topp House. It's an upmarket establishment that looks down its nose at the council-run care home at the bottom of the hill. While giving a tour of the premises, the supervisor, Mrs McBryde, tells a prospective new client: 'We don't vegetate at Hill Topp. And the cuisine is not unadventurous. It's not long since we had a Norwegian evening.' Certainly, there are unusual goings-on among these senior citizens, several of whom are treated to 'services that [are] hardly detergent' in the cycle shed courtesy of Gus, the window cleaner. Then there is compulsive flasher Mr Woodruff, the oldest resident, who is of the opinion that there is 'an etiquette to indecent exposure. It must not be clumsy', and is irked when incontinence pads hinder his display. Elsewhere, residents bicker and spend 'long and phlegm-flecked' afternoons doing jigsaws or watching television in the Library, a room that, despite its name, has no books. Familiar Bennett themes of infirmity, mortality and quietly subversive urges underpin this tale, which is narrated by its 90-year-old author, the mordant humour of the prose evident in his gently sardonic if now somewhat frail tones. When word of a new virus reaches Hill Topp, few take it seriously, with Mrs McBryde calling it 'some silliness off the television'. But as the death toll grows, the residents face both a troubling new reality and a thrilling release from the dreary order of their days. Available via Faber, 1hr 53min Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter Kate Conger and Ryan Mac, Penguin Audio, 15hr 20minEdoardo Ballerini narrates this account of Musk's takeover of the social media platform now called X, and its subsequent descent into chaos. Unfortunately, She Was a NymphomaniacJoan Smith, William Collins, 9hr 2minA feminist history of Rome's imperial women by the author of the 1989 classic Misogynies. Read by Joan Walker.
