First up, may I recommend Gary Sutherland's "Hunting Grounds":

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/3370157/Hunting-Grounds/Product.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunting-Grounds-Gary-Sutherland/dp/1841585866/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198166624&sr=8-1

 

Its an excellent journey round all 42 Scottish fitba grounds in one season.  Detailing transport, pre-match venues for a pint, the quality of the pies at the ground, and a review of the performance of both the players and the fans.  He goes into some depth in his report for each ground.  Its rather witty too!

 

He obviously visits Pittodrie (2-2 cup game with Hibs last season), and also a Falkirk v Aberdeen SPL game where the away fans are praised.

Birlinn Books offer on Agnes’s books here: https://birlinn.co.uk/?s=Agnes+Owens&t=authors&mc_cid=8069574160&mc_eid=3b5761e41a

On 01/09/2026 at 17:58, blinlemon said:

The only one the Central Library had was ‘For The Love Of Willie’ when I started searching for her canon after the news of the re-publication of her fiction was announced a while back, so it’s the only one I’ve read to date. We’re in the midst of relocation to enemy territory, so I’ve temporarily given up on buying books - I’ve given multi-dozens to charity shops, but will resume my support for book vendors once we settle into a new abode.

Her complete works should be listed here: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/the-agnes-owens-centenary-editions

Got it out the Library last week and it is a cracking read.

Packs a lot in to 120 pages.

Just finished Katabasis by R F Kuang. All about a descent into hell by 2 students to try and rescue the soul of their professor. She’s an interesting writer - lots of academic references but writes in a very easy, enjoyable style.

Thoroughly recommended.

Won't be everyones cup of tea, but Alexei Sayles new book, 'How I've Tried To Change The World...by Walking Down the Middle of the Street Shouting'. Is a decent read.

Very much a Marmite figure, but been a fan since I saw him on the Young Ones as a kid, back in the 80s.

Just finished “The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo”, about a woman who rises from poverty to become a Hollywood star. Good page turner.

2 hours ago, Don Julio said:

Just finished “The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo”, about a woman who rises from poverty to become a Hollywood star. Good page turner.

Sounds like a porn mag.

On 28/09/2026 at 07:24, TheDonbytheDee said:

Got it out the Library last week and it is a cracking read.

Packs a lot in to 120 pages.

Did you listen to the BBC Radio read of Agnes’s ‘A Working Mother’? It is very good

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0030x96

On 01/06/2026 at 15:08, BigAl said:

Right, so I'm going to to get pelters for this, but the other day in my Amazon feed I saw the Duncan Ferguson autobiography in ebook format for 99p.

Thought what the fuck, why not, if nothing else it might give me even more reason to dislike the Big Hun.

Turns out it is a really good read with only really one chapter (not very long) about his time playing for them.

Amusing anecdotes about his time starting out at The Arabs including tales of how some weeks he owed the club money such was the level of fines Wee McLean was hitting him with.

Huge focus on his time in Barlinnie that was an interesting read.

His passion for Everton FC really knows no boundaries and it turns out he is a really generous type of guy.

Actually one of the better footballer's autobiographies I've read and certainly worth less than a pound  

Read it last night. Found it sitting on the shelf at the Library. Skipped the chapter about his time with the dead club, got zero interest in them, bar their death.

We all heard the tales of him as a young loon at the Arabs, but it turned out they were even worse than what we knew and it highlighted how big a tyrant McLean was.

Paul McGrath, is probably the best autobiography I have read from a non Don footballer, but this Ferguson book was decent and nothing like the usual generic footballer pish.

The Rolling Stones by Bob Spitz.

Not a bad book for a band, that there can't be much more left to write about, but still plenty of stories to tell.