Water is the building block of all civilisation but what happens when we reach the peak - i.e. when our demand for water exceeds the rate at which it can be replenished? Water is our most precious resource. Former BBC journalist Alexander Bell innovatively explores how the control of fresh water has built and allowed civilisation to grow.

The first ever book on Scotland's participation in the Spanish Civil War. 'Homage to Caledonia' includes a foreword by Tony Benn and features unseen letters and interviews which challenge existing information on the conflict. From the romance to the reality, 'Homage to Caledonia' is an engaging and accessible history.

When Andy Gilchrist is called to a crime scene to find an amputated hand clutching a note addressed to him he is pulled into an investigation that will test him. Soon other single word clues are found along with amputated body parts and the murderer's vengeful message becomes clear as the identity of the next intended victim is revealed.

Gangs, drugs and organised crime: this chillingly complex first novel follows corrupt cop and bad Catholic Jimmy Costello deeper and deeper into Britain's criminal underbelly. Glimpse inside a hidden Irish-Catholic faith so often shrouded in mystery.

In 2008 Britain faces a huge credit crunch leaving millions of people struggling with financial worries, unable to get a mortgage or punished by increased taxes. This book examines international financial history and literature to uncover 12 common themes of past downturns, using them to predict the outcome of events and their effects on you.

In a unique exploration Arts of Resistance engages directly with the contemporary cultural and political scene in Scotland to provoke questions about the value of art in modern society. Through accessible and jargon-free text this book introduces many of the major players in modern Scottish art and literature and includes over 100 artworks.

Confronting the myths, misconceptions and propaganda of Covenanters and Jacobites, The Killing Time is a fascinating and accessible history of an extraordinary and little-known time. Explore Scottish history through the lives of its great and good, philosophers and murderers, politicians and fanatics.

Covers various aspects of wearing and purchasing a kilt for the first time; from how to find your family tartan and its origins to guidelines on how best to wear it on formal occasions such as weddings. This book also explains the importance of good quality materials and how to get a good deal when purchasing your first kilt.

Volume 2 covers all 36 Munros in this region including those in Glen Coe. The unique features of this series include details of all the practicable routes up all the Munros in the area, 5 star rating systems of the difficulty and quality of each route and detailed full coloured maps and photographs throughout.

A book to banish dodgy Scottish accents from stage and screen - no more Braveheart travesties. With particular attention to the pronunciation and sounds of modern urban Scots, and an accompanying CD with recordings of native speakers, it is suitable for those studying it for theatrical purposes or simply those studying language and linguistics.

The 'most dangerous man in London' is back - and studying to be a priest. 'Stealing God' is the second novel in the acclaimed Jimmy Costello series following the God-fearing Catholic hard man. Death, corruption and terrorism at the heart of the Vatican - 'Stealing God' controversially explores the hidden face of the Catholic faith.

Peter Irwin is far from your normal teenager. Thriving in his remote surroundings Peter finds himself facing some tough problems as his father battles Gulf War Syndrome, he struggles with his irresponsible mother and fights with his pregnant teenage sister who is following in her mother's flamboyant footsteps.

Kidnapped in the night and imprisoned on some of Scotland's remotest islands, Lady Grange's shocking story shows that fact is sometimes more gripping reading than fiction. The daughter of a murderer, rumoured to have held a pistol to her husband's head to force him to marry her, Lady Grange was hardly a conventional 18th century lady.

Takes the reader on an urban promenade along the Clyde and finds its character is created from far more than the remnants of shipbuilding. This title relates stories of conflicts, people and communities, while incorporating walks in these areas. It meanders from Coatbridge to Cathcart, Garngad to Greencock.

Features the best of the Herald's Poems of the Day .

Post-apocalyptic visions told through the lives of toothless grannies, crack-heads and ancient creatures of the deep. A collection of political poems that address issues of race, class and social consciousness, using humour, pop culture and sex. Blending folklore, science fiction, and social realism together.

Helping visitors to Scotland learn to reproduce the distinctive Scots tongue, this guide helps in learning, understanding and speaking the Scots language. Starting from the most basic vocabulary and constructions, it guides you step-by-step through Scots vocabulary and the subtleties of grammar and idiom that distinguish Scots from English.

From local legend, newspaper reports and family history, the author has pieced together a comprehensive documentary of Scotland's shale mining industry; of the people, communities and generations of families involved, and the cultural and political impact of the industry. He also includes photographs, drawings, poetry and short stories.

Features a collection of poems that capture the joys and frustrations of football. This work moves from one of the earliest poem written about football to the contemporary ones.

The Ganges and the Tay, the largest water courses in their two countries, are sources of life, conflict and industrial and historical change. This work relates the historical importance of the ties between India and Scotland and their contemporary relevance as a natural symbol of continuity and peace.