A Great Idea at the Time Vol. IV

Volume IV continues to describe the trials and tribulations of the small Scottish publisher but a few unexpected surprises are in store before the company runs out of capital and eventually grinds to a halt.

Here are some of the Highlights and Lowlights:

Squeezed until the pips squeak – Accepting credit cards – Jack Webster – Accountants – Sean Connery: A Freeman of Edinburgh – Scottish Book Centre – Optical character recognition – To Amsterdam and The Hague – North Sea Jazz Festival – Anti-Net Book Agreement petition – Exhibiting at EIBF 1991 – Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaites – Sean Connery declares his support for SNP – Reviving 200 Burns Club supper – Sorley MacLean’s birthday party – 70th birthday celebration for George Mackay Brown – Death of Peter Buchan – Death of Forbes Macgregor – Robert Smith – Hamish Henderson’s dog – The MacIntosh computer – Artists for an Independent Scotland – Pagemaker – I persuade Sean Connery to join SNP Newington – Death of Rosalie Gow – Charles Murray Trust – Scotland and Independence in Europe – Shock on the Moffat road – Cap in hand to the petroleum companies – Edinburgh City Museums – Filemaker Pro and direct mail – A dram with Jessie Kesson – Quadritek typesetter for sale – Deadlock with John Smith & Sons – Collected Poems and Short Stories by Peter Buchan – Collected Short Stories by David Toulmin – Rockpools and Daffodils by George Mackay Brown – United Biscuits – The Scottish media – Reviews and no reviews – Alan Westland – ‘Biggit oot wi books’ – Death of George Houghton – Death of ‘Seumas Mor’ – Bird in the bed – Photographing food – Trading with John Smith & Sons – Oliver Brown award – Recipes from Scotland by F Marian McNeill – Copenhagen – A letter from Denmark – All About Christmas by Rev James Simpson – Dunoon Jazz Festival 1994 – School reunion – Scottish Book Awards – Ageing relatives – Freddy King: Jazz at the Tron – A lady from Bucharest – Net Book Agreement abandoned – Connected to the internet – Norman MacCaig’s birthday party – Carmen’s return – Engaged – Death of Norman MacCaig – Tommy Smith meets Ronald Stevenson – My new family – Civil wedding – The Archbishop of Bucharest – Honeymoon in the mountains – A pain in the ear – A display of Highland dress – Death of George Mackay Brown – Balloons and ivy – White wedding – Holiday in Orkney – A big rubber spider – A pregnant pause – Death of Bill MacLellan – The Place Names of Edinburgh by Stuart Harris – Portrait of a literary publisher – Death of Sorley MacLean – Scotland the What? Second Helping – Return of Stone of Destiny – Death of Tom Farries – Death of Stuart Harris – Re-joined Scottish Publishers Association – Scottish Book Source – Weight-lifting at the Wallace Monument – Health scare – A squirrel for company – It’s a boy! – Congratulations, You’re Pregnant! – A Guide to the Royal Mile 6th edition – A referendum in favour of a Scottish Parliament – Stunned by a glass door – Raising a cairn on the Calton Hill – John Menzies exit Princes Street – Stress attack – Baptism in Bucharest – Anyone for drob? – Death of David Toulmin – Physical exhaustion – Three relatives in care – Death of Callum MacDonald – Flora Garry’s Honorary degree – ‘Scotland’s Campaign Rally’ – Scottish Parliament reconvened – My first web site – Opening of the Scottish Parliament – Ian Hamilton Finlay – Malcolm Cant – Aileen Paterson – Jenny Renton and Scottish Book Collector – Stress counselling – Weigh & Pay bookshop – John Smith & Sons close branches – Edinburgh Booksellers Society – A septic finger – Death of Flora Garry – Scottish Books Direct – Donald MacCormick – Selling antique books – The Write Stuff at the NLS – Dorothy Dunnett – Michael Russell MSP – My first digital camera – Kenneth White – ‘For Sale a General List of Scottish Books’– Sold to Steve Savage – Time to relax.