Dundee – A Short History

Dr Norman Watson, Published by Black and White Publishing, £8.99

Dr Norman Watson is a journalist and historian, author of several books on Scottish life, and is The Courier Weekend magazine’s antiques columnist.

Acknowledging that the story of Dundee is both fascinating and dramatic, Norman brings to life the people and events that shaped this great city from its origins and early development, through centuries of poverty and prosperity, to the golden years of jute, jam and journalism and beyond.

Along the way, we meet the women who hijacked the Reformation, the sisters who terrorised Winston Churchill, the martyred George Wishart who kept only his hat, the whalerman James McIntosh who ate his to survive, and witness Shackleton’s remarkable expedition to far-north Dundee and the flights of fancy surrounding Preston Watson. And as well as significant events like Monk’s massacre and the Tay Bridge disaster, there are also controversial views about the very fabric of the city, like what went wrong with the Waterfront and why was the old Overgate demolished.

“It was a pleasure and honour to chart Dundee’s story from its beginnings to the present day, and to bring readers an absorbing journey in text and pictures which cements Dundee’s place as one of Europe’s best small cities,” says Norman.

A lively and entertaining read, as well as thorough and informative, the book is packed with black and white photogrpahs and concludes by foreseeing a bright future for Scotland’s sunniest city as it continues an amazing era of development and change.