By Elizabeth Haslam and William Swift
Although Scotland Street Press was founded only a decade ago, this independent press is steeped in literary history. Located on the historic Scotland Street, a cobblestone road in Edinburgh’s New Town, this press is surrounded by the residences of living writers and a literary legacy that includes names like Compton Mackenzie and Alexander McCall Smith. Founder Jean Fraser was well aware of the location and is using this space to champion Scotland on the international literature stage.
Scotland Street Press publishes largely fiction, including translations, and has also set out to promote the Scots language. Part of Fraser’s publishing mission, along with promoting women authors, is to produce visually fabulous books. Every aspect of this press, from the location and selected authors to cover design and printing, is done with intentionality to bring the reader the press’ best with every edition.
Not to take away from Fraser’s success, but one particular team member at Scotland Street deserves a spotlight. Rita, a non-human with a Masters in Loyalty and Dedication, provides valuable insight from the canine perspective, delights visitors, and adds her own touch to Fraser's already fantastic work.
New and Upcoming Releases
Somewhere Else by Jenni Daiches
This poignant and careful novel tells the story of Rosa Roshkin, who loses her family in a pogrom when she is five years old. This author recreates the violence of an era of pogroms, dispossession, and cruelty in a captivating and powerful epic generational novel. Themes of womanhood and identity drive this story forward against a backdrop of two World Wars, the creation of Israel and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
This book speaks to the past experiences of those with a Judaeo-Scottish connection and beyond, as some elements are revealed as unnervingly recognisable in the present. It is a must-read for fans of historical fiction.
The Price of Eyes (‘The Empress Irini Series’ - Book 4) by Janet McGiffin
In this final instalment of ‘The Empress Irini Series’, Irini of Athens is back on the throne and Empress of Byzantium in her own right. However, keeping her hold on the throne will not be easy as civil war erupts.
In this series, Janet McGiffin offers what history often forgets or ignores: Irini’s full story. In this epic conclusion, Irini’s life and fictionalisation showcase whether a thirst for power and drive for revenge is enough to counter vulnerabilities while maintaining control of a vast empire.
HAIRAN: Poems of Hair and Freedom by Iranian Women in Times of Repression and Struggle (edited by Daoud Sarhandi-Williams, Ali Sobati and others)
This gripping new anthology covers a diverse range of voices from contemporary Iranian society. Compiled in the face of vicious attacks on life and freedom, these seventy-five poems are a powerful reminder of the persecution faced by women in Iran and demonstrate the force behind the resistance movement.
‘Hair Portraits’ from the poets accompany their work, making this collection a unique form of art whilst speaking to the origins of this piece: the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2021, who was killed in police custody for not covering enough of her hair in public. This important collection is sure to ignite strong emotions in readers.
Notable Releases
Sea Fret by Dilys Rose
Selected by the Sales and Marketing one-woman team Alex Strouts as one of her favourite publications by Scotland Street, this collection of short stories captures the uncanny situations that make up life itself. With fresh perspectives, such as Albert Einstein’s shortcomings as a father, this collection is a stand-out work from an author with a strong catalogue. Rose’s work captures both impossible choices and the wit and determination with which she takes on life.
Alindarka’s Children by Alhierd Bacharvic
Published in 2014 in Russian-Belarusian and translated in 2020 by Jim Dingley (English) and Petra Reid (Scots), the release of Alindarka’s Children put Scotland Street in the spotlight, as it was longlisted for the Republic of Consciousness prize. This work explores a world in which Belarusians interned in a camp are the unwilling recipients of a larynx surgery that will force them to embrace the Russian language. In a dystopian world that explores the survival of the Belarusian language today, Bacharvic’s prose mourns the death of language, captivates readers and provides a wildly entertaining, ‘Hansel and Gretel’ literary experience more than worthy of its prize nomination. While, in this case, the coloniser speaks Russian, this text taps into a broader experience, the loss of language and identity in colonised countries. There is no question why Jean Fraser, founder of Scotland Street, has selected this as one of her favourite publications.
What’s the Difference Between Me and You? by Christina Findlay
Christina Findlay (1972–1994) was a Scottish native who lived and painted in the Scottish Highlands over her short life. Over 200 paintings by Findlay have been shown, although she receives little renown today. This 2023 release is a beautiful tribute by Scotland Road Press to a local female artist about whom little is known and who very much deserves the spotlight today. With gorgeous watercolour illustrations, much in the style of Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, Christina Findlay takes readers, children and adults alike, on a journey around the world. Locations include everywhere from Minnesota to the Scottish Highlands, each accompanied by engaging rhyming couplets. In What’s the Difference, Findlay encourages readers to delight in their differences through her characteristic artwork.
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