Book picks similar to
Boyracers by Alan Bissett


fiction
scottish
scottish-fiction
contemporary

Friction


Joe Stretch - 2008
    Hold your breath. Justin wants a sex life, not a sex death. Rebecca has breasts but doesn't understand them. She needs to talk to Dostoevsky about erections, hairy armpits and firing squads. Life is difficult. Steve wants cash so he can enjoy his trendy body. He wants Carly too, but she just wants a never-ending orgasm. Johnny wants to be touched and, if possible, he'd like to seem happy. Colin wants to know why tits make his fists clench.This is their story. They try their best. They drag their feet through the fashions, the foul, the famous and the drunk of twenty-first century Britain. They're looking for happiness. What they find is friction.

Naked


David Sedaris - 1997
    In Naked, Sedaris turns the mania for memoir on its proverbial ear, mining the exceedingly rich terrain of his life, his family, and his unique worldview—a sensibility at once take-no-prisoners sharp and deeply charitable. A tart-tongued mother does dead-on imitations of her young son's nervous tics, to the great amusement of his teachers; a stint of Kerouackian wandering is undertaken (of course!) with a quadriplegic companion; a family gathers for a wedding in the face of imminent death. Through it all is Sedaris's unmistakable voice, without doubt one of the freshest in American writing.

One City


Alexander McCall Smith - 2005
    Edinburgh is the inspiration for this humorous and imaginative short story collection from three of its finest contemporary writers.Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin and Irvine Welsh offer radically different takes on Edinburgh life: a homesick biologist from Delhi comes to a startling conclusion; two Homeless World Cup players become entangled in a magical world of illusion; and tiger-related mayhem breaks out in Murrayfield.J.K. Rowling introduces these intriguing perspectives with a thoughtful account of her move to Edinburgh and her life there. ’I am proud to live here, and proud that my home city is committed to becoming a more inclusive place. OneCity Trust seeks to unify: I cannot think of a better goal, for Edinburgh, Scotland or the world.’All proceeds from the book will go to the OneCity Trust, which campaigns for social justice in Edinburgh.

Jane Austen-Mansfield Park


Sandie Byrne - 2004
    The Guide selects the most useful and insightful of these and puts them in context, making available the range of critical debate on this important novel to both specialist and general readers.

All That Glitters


Vicky Pattison - 2015
    Today, she spends her days working in her mum's salon and her nights going out with her best friend, Molly. Life is good yet Issy can't help wishing for something more.When Issy's dad puts her forward for a sensational new reality TV show, no one expects her to actually be selected. With her family urging her to grab the opportunity with both hands, Issy suddenly finds herself surrounded by glamour, fame and celebrities. Full of excitement, Issy embraces it all - it's what she needs to do to achieve her goals. But when the reality of what she's signed up for doesn't match the dream Issy is chasing, things begin to fall apart. Issy is so close to getting everything she ever wanted - but just how much of herself will she have to sacrifice to get it? Bold, thrilling and romantic, Vicky Pattison's first ever novel is a rollercoaster ride full of glitz, warmth and drama. It's a must-read for fans everywhere!

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine


Gail Honeyman - 2017
    Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding unnecessary human contact, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen, the three rescue one another from the lives of isolation that they had been living. Ultimately, it is Raymond’s big heart that will help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one. If she does, she'll learn that she, too, is capable of finding friendship—and even love—after all.Smart, warm, uplifting, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is the story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as she realizes. . . the only way to survive is to open your heart.

Meeting of the Waters


Kim McLarin - 2001
    Porter Stockman, a smart and talented white reporter, finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time on the day a jury acquits four Los Angeles police officers of assaulting Rodney King.

Patience


Victoria Scott - 2021
    I could barely put the book down until its equally heart-wrenching and heart-warming ending. A wonderful, smart and funny book - I know readers will absolutely love it' Louise Fein, bestselling author of People Like UsThe Willows have been through a lot. Louise has devoted her life to caring for her disabled youngest daughter. Pete works abroad, almost never seeing his loved ones. And their eldest, Eliza, is burdened by all the secrets she's trying to keep from her overloaded family.Meanwhile, Patience observes the world while trapped in her own body. She laughs, she cries, she has opinions and knows what she wants. But those who love her most - and make every decision about her life - will never know.Or will they? When the Willows are offered the opportunity for Patience to take part in a new gene therapy trial to cure her Rett syndrome, they face an impossible dilemma. Are the very real risks worth the chance of the reward, no matter how small?'An extraordinary novel about love and hope and family and what happens in the space between the words. I adored it' Kirsten Hesketh, author of Another Us

Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane - For Fans (Trivia-On-Books)


Trivion Books - 2015
     You may have liked the book, but not be a fan. You may call yourself a fan, but few truly are. Are you? Trivia-on-Books is an independent quiz-formatted trivia on the book for readers, students, and fans alike. Whether you're looking for new materials to the book or would like to take the challenge yourself and share it with your friends and family for a time of fun, Trivia-on-Books provides a unique approach that is both insightful and educational! Features You'll Find Inside: • 30 Multiple choice questions on the book, plots, characters and author • Insightful commentary to answer every question • Complementary quiz material for yourself or your reading group • Results provided with scores to determine "status" Promising quality and value, grab your copy of Trivia-on-Books!

F250


Bud Smith - 2014
    For now, he’s squatting in a collapsing house, working as a stone mason, driving a jacked up pickup truck that he crashes into everything. As a close friend Ods in his sleep, Lee falls into a three-way relationship with two college girls, June Doom and K Neon. F250 is a novel equal parts about growing up, and being torn apart."Bud Smith is Nick Hornby if you strapped him to a Tesla coil and launched him into a Sun made of Poetry." --Ben Loory, author of Stories for Nighttime and some for the Day

The Devil in Plaid


Lily Baldwin - 2018
     Lady Fiona MacDonnell is certain Laird Jamie MacLeod is the devil himself. Their clans are sworn enemies, each steeped in hatred born from a long-standing feud. But when threatened by a powerful neighboring clan, they must unite to survive. The Devil has never been hotter, his angel never so fine, but will their forced marriage be hell on Earth or together will they find heaven?

Mr & Mrs Sehgal


Madhuri Tamse - 2020
    SeriesMr & Mrs. SehgalKabier and Aashi’s is a marriage of utmost convenience. Everything about the marriage is wrong yet Aashi falls for her tycoon husband who has no time for her. While Kabier is busy earning billions, Aashi battles her solitude until she decides to give up. Jealousy creeps in Kabier’s heart when his wife’s friend comes into the picture. Will Kabier realize Aashi’s worth? How will he woo her back? A romantic tale of arrogant Business Tycoon Kabier Sehgal and his Former Miss India Wife Aashi Sehgal with sparks of attraction, love, jealousy, and a happily-ever-after.

Billy Connolly


Pamela Stephenson - 2001
    Such a person is the inimitable, timeless genius who is Billy Connolly. His effortlessly wicked whimsy has entranced, enthralled – and split the sides of – thousands upon thousands of adoring audiences.And when he isn't doing that…he's turning in award-winning performances on film and television.He's the man who needs no introduction, and yet he is the ultimate enigma. From a troubled and desperately poor childhood in the docklands of Glasgow he is now the intimate of household names the world over.How did this happen, who is the real Billy Connolly? Only one person can answer that question: his wife, Pamela Stephenson. Pamela’s writing combines the very personal with a frank objectivity that makes for a compelling, moving and hugely entertaining biography. This is the real Billy Connolly.This genre-defining book is now re-released for a new generation of comedy fans, with a stunning package and a new Foreword from the author. Pamela’s vision of Billy is as true now as it ever was – as groundbreaking, as moving and as laugh-out-loud funny – and here she brings the book fully into its context, as one of the most influential biographies ever written.

A Spirited Girl on Cornish Shores (A Little Hotel in Cornwall Book 2)


Laura Briggs - 2019
    Between the staff of quirky co-workers, glamorous and unusual guests, and her growing friendship with the charming but mysterious Sidney Daniels, Maisie is living out adventures instead of just penning them in the pages of her would-be Gothic novel's growing number of chapters. And then there's the slight problem of keeping the balance between friendship and 'something more' with Sidney, who's helping introduce her to the village's version of a Cornish Halloween, and has recently taken an interest in Maisie's secret that may change things between them. But even Maisie’s imagination can't conjure the unusual event this Halloween brings to the Penmarrow. An eccentric earl has chosen this site to host his lavish birthday celebration that includes a pretty (and perceptive) young psychic whose predictions seem to have everyone on edge — and, to Maisie's delight, the elusive novelist Alistair Davies is rumored to be part of the guest list! But with the earl's bickering relatives and illustrious friends on hand— and more than one ghost of the past waiting to be revealed — it’s anyone’s guess what the festivities will bring before the party is over. Will the psychic foretell doom for the earl's gathering—and is her ‘gift’ as genuine as it seems? Will Maisie finally meet her favorite author face to face? And, more importantly, what about the romantic sparks that fly between Maisie and Sidney?

Salad Days


Charles Romalotti - 2000
    Now in its fifth printing, this is a sma...see site for more info.