Is it possible to feel so overwhelmed by world events that a strange sort of inertia begins to take hold of your mind and body? Prior to the Brexit farrago, the Covid-19 emergency, and war in Ukraine, I wouldn’t have thought such a thing was possible. But not now. There is trouble every day without… Continue reading Mr Attenborough’s Book
1320Journal
Erin Greengloves and the Spirits of the Glen
An unwelcome visitor appears in Green Glen in the shape of a charming trickster called Elswick Toope. He claims that he can rid the glen of the restless spirits that run wild and free, keeping everyone awake all night, every night. Toope is, however, the kind of person who is friends with everybody but loves… Continue reading Erin Greengloves and the Spirits of the Glen
Poetry? We Have A Machine That Can Do That!
Poets the world over, whether they are accomplished or aspiring, have been sleeping uneasily in their beds following the news that they will soon be made redundant. It was The Guardian that first broke the story on the 21st March 2021 when it presented some newly minted lines from the literary sensation known only as… Continue reading Poetry? We Have A Machine That Can Do That!
Oathlaw – A Tale of Murder in Strathmore and Malice in Old Dundee
Every working day for several years I would drive northwards into the great county of Angus where I visited clients in the towns and villages of Strathmore. On the way, I’d pass familiar landmarks, intimidating speed traps, and interesting signposts that pointed down country roads towards to intriguingly named hamlets and farmtouns. I often imagined… Continue reading Oathlaw – A Tale of Murder in Strathmore and Malice in Old Dundee
1320 Recommends: ‘Between the Lines’ by Steve Hamilton
Music reviews are a sometime thing for the 1320Journal. They tend to be an instinctive response to something remarkable that’s happened to catch my ear. I can safely say, however, that the new solo offering from Scottish jazz pianist Steve Hamilton has done just that. Now, when I tell you that Hamilton is a jazz… Continue reading 1320 Recommends: ‘Between the Lines’ by Steve Hamilton