A complete list of the books available as free downloads from ASL.
The Amateur Emigrant
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Introduction by Julia Reid
Robert Louis Stevenson’s vivid, sharp, and thoroughly engaging account of his (impoverished) travels to and across America. This booklet contains the first five chapters of part one, “From the Clyde to Sandy Hook”.
As It Was Told to Me
Three short stories by Sir Walter Scott
Introduction by Daniel Cook
As It Was Told to Me collects three of Scott’s short stories in one volume. ‘My Aunt Margaret’s Mirror’ mixes a tale of reckless romance with supernatural theatrics; ‘The Two Drovers’ offers a slow-burn exposé of national conflict; and ‘Wandering Willie’s Tale’ weaves a tale around the grisly death of a despotic laird and a trip to hell.
Back to the Future: Negotiating Scottish Sites of Memory, 1707 / 2014
by Leith Davis
Both the 1707 Act of Union and the recent Scottish independence referendum took place in eras of rapid media transition: Professor Leith Davis compares representations of Scotland, England and the Union in 1707 and 2014.
Bessie Dunlop, the Witch o Dalry
by John Hodgart
Based on the historical record of Bessie’s ‘confession’ to witchcraft in sixteenth-century Scotland, Bessie Dunlop, the Witch o Dalry is a three-act play for schools suitable for BGE and S3–S4 students.
Campbell of Kilmohr: A Play in One Act
by J. A. Ferguson
Introduction by David Goldie
Set during the bloody aftermath of the battle of Culloden, Campbell of Kilmohr revolves around themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and betrayal, the power of the State and the potential for the corruption of that power.
Covid Changes: a play in one act
by John Hodgart
Set in Ayrshire during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, and written in contemporary Scots, Covid Changes is an accessible and relevant short drama ready to use in the classroom.
The Devil I Am Sure
Three Short Stories by James Hogg
Introduction by David Robb
In the three supernatural stories in this volume – “Mary Burnet”, “The Brownie of the Black Haggs”, and “Strange Letter of a Lunatic” – James Hogg demonstrates his mastery of the craft of storytelling, and his understanding of the quirks, possibilities, and dark undercurrents of human psychology.
Fables
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Introduction by William Gray
Published after Stevenson’s death, these strange little stories offer what the author called “tail foremost moralities”. Peculiar and provocative, graceful, funny, sometimes eerie, and always beautiful, Stevenson’s Fables are true masterpieces of art, wit, and style.
Literary Scotland: A Traveller’s Guide
by Alan Riach
Featuring everything from the castle where Bram Stoker penned Dracula to the heights of Ben Dorain, Literary Scotland: A Traveller’s Guide highlights 60 fascinating literary locations throughout the country, including the stunning settings for world-famous novels, the scenery that inspired poets and the birthplaces of some of the country’s most distinguished writers.
The Mannie and Ither Stories
by James Robertson
Four stories in Scots, suitable for readers in secondary schools – “Black Cuddy”, “The Mannie”, “Naebod’d Seen Him”, and “The Deil”.
Our Multiform, Our Infinite Scotland
by Ian Brown
Our Multiform, Our Infinite Scotland considers the global reach of Scottish literary icons such as Jekyll and Hyde, Sherlock Holmes, Peter Pan and others, exploring how they have become central elements in “English Literature”.
Sins and Follies
Three Short Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson
Three tales of dastardly deeds by Robert Louis Stevenson: “A Lodging for the Night”; “Markheim”; and “The Body-Snatcher”.
Strange Tales
Three Uncanny Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Association for Scottish Literary Studies presents three uncanny stories by Robert Louis Stevenson: “Thrawn Janet”; “The Tale of Tod Lapraik”; and “The Bottle Imp”. These eerie tales of witches, warlocks, and demonic pacts are outstanding examples of the storyteller’s art.
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Tartan Noir, or, Hard-Boiled Heidegger
by Matthew Wickman
Matthew Wickman investigates the philosophical underpinnings of “Tartan Noir” – with specific reference to William McIlvanney’s Laidlaw novels.
Three Stories
by R. B. Cunninghame Graham
Introduction by Jenni Calder
Three short stories by R. B. Cunninghame Graham – “A Hegira”, “The Gold Fish”, and “Beattock for Moffat” – about journeys and frontiers, tenacity, loss, and death.
Was There Ever a ‘British’ Literature?
by Alan Riach
‘Was There Ever a ‘British’ Literature?’ is a provocative essay exploring national identities, languages, and allegiances.