Read Scotland 2014 discussion

Here's a place to discuss your favorite Tartan Noir books and authors!

Added a couple of discussion threads on favourite authors of mine - please can everyone add any comments on others of their books that they have read and also add any other noir authors that they know of - always on the look out for new ones !

Here's an explanation of what Tartan Noir is for anyone that was wondering:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartan_Noir

New Tartan Noir author! Alan Jones. First book in a new series. The Cabinetmaker. Check it out here http://amzn.com/B00F0WWVYQ and the website here http://www.thecabinetmaker.info/ The first 4 chapters are available free there. The book is only available on Kindle, but they hope to publish a paperback version in due course. To express an interest in a paper copy, please send an email to mail@ailsapublishing.co.uk

Here's a look at a new author and his first book Falling Fast. He's from Edinburgh. Looks like a good series starting! http://edinburgh.stv.tv/articles/2746...

Don't know what that is, even if the group has put up several threads on the same. ;) Since I have your attention, I posed a question in my recently-revitalized thread. :-) Carolyn.

Peggy wrote: "Here's a look at a new author and his first book Falling Fast. He's from Edinburgh. Looks like a good series starting! http://edinburgh.stv.tv/articles/2746......"

Thanks for that ! - will add it to the "to read" list.

Stephen wrote: "Peggy wrote: "Here's a look at a new author and his first book Falling Fast. He's from Edinburgh. Looks like a good series starting! http://edinburgh.stv.tv/articles/2746......"

Stephen you will want to follow this blog. She post new up and coming Scottish Noir authors and their books all the time. Excellent blog! http://theresbeenamurder.wordpress.com/

I was saying I don't know what 'tartan noir' is. I suspect it means murder, which isn't my forté. No - please don't drop a definition URL; dial-up makes most webpages time-consuming. Just a word explaining it. :-) My forté is paranormal fare set in, or written by Scotts. I only own the one listed on my blog. http://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2013/11...

I'll wait for Peggy to get back to the query I left last, in my personal thread. That will pop it up and one appreciates visibility now that they're attempting too post. ;)

Peggy wrote: "Stephen wrote: "Peggy wrote: "Here's a look at a new author and his first book Falling Fast. He's from Edinburgh. Looks like a good series starting! http://edinburgh.stv.tv/articles/2746......"

Thanks for that as well !

C. wrote: "Don't know what that is, even if the group has put up several threads on the same. ;) Since I have your attention, I posed a question in my recently-revitalized thread. :-) Carolyn."

Carolyn, Noir is crime literature (or films) featuring tough, cynical characters with bleak settings and violence. Tartan specifies Noir written by Scots as they seem to have taken the genre and made it their own!

Definitely not for me. I do love a blunt mystery. 'Cozies' are frustrating in their lack of it sometimes. But no violence or bleakness for me. I suppose I'll meet you in my thread, with the answer to the question I'm repeatedly posing there. :-)

So... Irvine Welsh qualifies?

Claire wrote: "So... Irvine Welsh qualifies?"

I'm not sure since I haven't read it yet. Is it a crime novel? Alan, weigh in here!

My thinking was that Mr Welsh is using black humour to show the struggles and pain involved with the crimes and criminals he writes about. I know tradition noir usually deals with the detective's angle, but having read a lot of his work (again, by accident) I think he could fit in a wee corner. Maybe.

Funny, didn't realised how many of his stories I had read until now. Glad I joined this group!

Peggy wrote: "Claire wrote: "So... Irvine Welsh qualifies?"

I'm not sure since I haven't read it yet. Is it a crime novel? Alan, weigh in here!"

Peggy, I'm not sure his books are crime novels as such, much more social commentary. Although there is crime in most of his books, it's often petty crime. He really explores the darker side of Scottish people and society, but it's his use of language and humour in the darkest situations that stands him out from the rest. I love his books, although Trainspotting for me is the jewel in the crown. It can take a while to get your head around the language, but stick with it.

That's how we speak here. I live 30 mins from Leith and it's a pure joy to see my dialect in print. I do pity those not used to it though. The Trainspotting film did have subtitles for one scene, after all! We do talk fast...

Claire wrote: "That's how we speak here. I live 30 mins from Leith and it's a pure joy to see my dialect in print. I do pity those not used to it though. The Trainspotting film did have subtitles for one scene, a..."
It's even susprising the difference in the regional accents between Edinburgh, where Welsh bases Trainspotting, and Glasgow, where I was brought up, and James Kelman's books were set. The two cities are less than 50 miles apart!

Alright, you two have convinced me I am going to find the book and read it!

Btw, not everybody in Edinburgh speaks like an Irvine Welsh character - that's just Leith...

Peggy, there are a number of online Trainspotting dictionaries that can help with the language. here's one:

http://www.le.ac.uk/ee/glossaries/lei...

Thanks!

On the subject of accents, I love listening to Andy Stewart's record The Rumour. His voice travels all over Scotland (and briefly to Ireland) and all his accents are spot on.