Books of the Year

My selection for BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2008
As printed in the West Highland Free Press on 12th December

I finally read 'The Shock Doctrine' by Naomi Klein [Allen Lane]. A visit to the oil province of Ugra in Siberia in July and the credit crunch this autumn made this a book to remember. Subtitled 'the Rise of Disaster Capitalism', it reveals the seeds of making money from money that leads from oligarchs to the remnants of HBOS and RBS - an essential guide to rotten capitalism.

Early in the year I was riveted by Tim Neat's biography of Hamish Henderson - 'The Making of the Poet - 1919 to 1953. Seamus Mor influenced so many of us by his songs, wisdom and discourses on peace and freedom. Volume two is much anticipated as are detailed criticisms of Neat's generous findings.

Much debate about 'The Stone of Destiny' was fuelled by the republication of Ian Hamilton's account and the recent film of the heist. However Andrew Greig's 'Romanno Bridge' published by Quercus, plots a fictional battle for the true stone between a psychopathic hired killer and his characters from 'The Return of John MacNab' script for a screen thriller?

Rob Gibson MSP