Alistair Moffat Books

A lavish, large format hardback featuring the artwork of The Great Tapestry of Scotland, an outstanding celebration of thousands of years of Scottish history.

Acclaimed historian Alistair Moffat sets off in the footsteps of the Highland clans. In twelve journeys he explores places of conflict, recreating as he walks the tumult of battle. This is a unique exploration of many of the places and events which define a country’s history.

A story of the border: a place of beginnings and endings, of differences and similarities. This is also the story of an ancient place; where hunter- gatherers penetrated into the virgin interior, where Celtic warlords ruled, the Romans came but could not conquer, and where the glittering kingdom of Northumbria thrived.

This paperback edition of Mackintosh's first biography conveys an authentic and intimate portrait of the man behind the achievement.

What is it that makes this exquisite part of Italy so seductive? Historian Alistair Moffat embarks on a journey into Tuscany’s past, underlining both the area’s regional uniqueness as well as the vital role it has played in the history of the whole of Italy.

In this fully updated second edition of the highly acclaimed Managing Gigabytes , authors Witten, Moffat, and Bell continue to provide unparalleled coverage of state-of-the-art techniques for compressing and indexing data. Whatever your field, if you work with large quantities of information, this book is essential reading--an authoritative theoretical resource and a practical guide to meeting the toughest storage and access challenges. It covers the latest developments in compression and indexing and their application on the Web and in digital libraries. It also details dozens of powerful techniques supported by mg, the authors' own system for compressing, storing, and retrieving text, images, and textual images. mg's source code is freely available on the Web.

The narrative explores the captivating history of the Highland clans, highlighting their Celtic roots and the impact of significant events from Roman times to the present. Alistair Moffat delves into the heroic deeds and traditions of these clans, illustrated with historical portraits and depictions of key battles and cultural practices. The book also addresses the emotional toll of emigration faced by these clans as they moved to various countries. A clan map and an alphabetical list enhance its appeal for history enthusiasts.

A personal investigation into the history that surrounds us, from the historian and award-winning author of The Hidden Ways

Fourteen centuries ago, Irish saints brought the Word of God to the Hebrides and Scotland's Atlantic shore. These 'white martyrs' sought solitude, remoteness, even harshness, in places apart from the world where they could fast, pray and move closer to an understanding of God: places where they could see angels. Columba, who founded the famous monastery at Iona, was the most well-known of these courageous men who rowed their curraghs towards danger and uncertainty in a pagan land, but the many others are now largely forgotten by history. In this book, Alistair Moffat journeys from the island of Eileach an Naoimh at the mouth of the Firth of Lorne to Lismore, Iona and then north to Applecross, searching for traces of these extraordinary men. He finds them not often in any tangible remains, but in the spirit of the islands and remote places where they passed their exemplary lives. Brendan, Moluag, Columba, Maelrubha and others brought the Gaelic language and echoes of how the saints saw their world can still be heard in its cadences. And the tradition of great piety endures.

The Night Before Morning is a gripping, page-turning thriller based on an alternative version of events at the end of the Second World War in the vein of Robert Harris and John Buchan. Alistair Moffat has created a chilling post-1945 world where Britain has been occupied by the Nazi forces.

A pioneering look at early Scotland that transforms prehistory into gripping narrative history. The story of the land that became Scotland is one of dramatic geological events and impressive human endeavour. Alistair Moffat's gripping narrative ranges from the great thaw at the end of the Ice Age - which was instrumental in shaping Scotland's magnificent landscape - through the megalith builders, the Celts and the Picts, to the ascension of King Constantine II. Moffat deploys his knowledge with wit and deftness, interweaving the story with numerous special features on topics as diverse as cave drawings of dancing girls, natural birth control, the myth of Atlantis and the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence - all of them valuable, sometimes quirky, additions to the whole picture. Rounding out the account is a selection of carefully chosen colour photographs that give a strong sense of the Scottish landscape and monuments. Erudite and entertaining, Before Scotland transforms our understanding of a neglected period. A story of dramatic geological events and impressive human endeavour, it is essential reading for anyone interested in the land that became Scotland.

A charming, lively and often amusing tour of 36 forgotten episodes and overlooked people and places of Scottish history. While Scotland's history cannot be separated from its kings and queens, saints and warriors, there is a rich story to tell about the country's lesser-known places, people and events. This colourful history of Scotland tells those other tales, half-forgotten or misunderstood, that have been submerged by the wash of history. Bringing these stories to light and to life, this entertaining book reveals the richness and complexity of this nation on the northwest edge of Europe. Alistair Moffat guides us from the geological formation of the land that makes up Scotland to the first evidence of human habitation right up to modern times. In the process, we learn about the cave of headless children, the origins of the Scottish kings and the real heroes of Scottish independence, the invention of tartan and the romance of the Highlands, Scotland's answer to Shakespeare, and the many U.S. Presidents with Scottish heritage, among many other fascinating tales brought to life by Joe McLaren's attractive woodcut-style illustrations. Even the most knowledgeable Scot will experience a sense of newfound knowledge and appreciation for this unique country, its history and people.

In rich and telling detail, Alistair Moffat relates the remarkable story of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The north is being renewed, the land is coming alive once more and this unique story ends on an upbeat note as the Highlands and Islands of Scotland look forward to a future of possibilities.

A walking tour of the border region where England and Scotland meet by the award-winning Scottish writer, meditating on the conflict and union of their relationship through history and in the future

Now in paperback: A powerful, surprising exploration of Scotland's landscape and its hidden history.

This journey to Lindisfarne is a meditation on the power of place, from the historian and award-winning author of The Hidden Ways

Fourteen centuries ago, Irish saints brought the Word of God to the Hebrides and Scotland's Atlantic shore. In this book, Alistair Moffat journeys from the island of Eileach an Naoimh at the mouth of the Firth of Lorne to Lismore, Iona and then north to Applecross, searching for traces of these extraordinary men.

Okamžik, který změnil svět.Londýn byl zničen a nacisté triumfují. Je všechna naděje ztracena? Červen 1945. Hitler zvítězil, Británie je okupována a Amerika se bojí hrozby jaderného útoku. Uprostřed noci prochází ruinami skotského dryburského opatství postava, která hledá deník Davida Erskina, vojáka, jenž byl svědkem zvratu dějin. Erskinův útěk ze zajetí jej spolu s jeho snoubenku Katie přivede na Skotskou vysočinou a poté do univerzitního města St Andrews, kde nacisté zřídili tajnou laboratoř. Když vyjde najevo její účel, musí David, Katie a jejich spiklenecká skupina přijmout zoufalý plán.