Book trade profiles

West Port Bert
From the Scottish Book Collector archives. A 1990 interview with BERT BARROTT, owner of Edinburgh's West Port Books, in which he tells the tale of how he came into the second hand book trade. He specialises in art, photography and books on India. When interviewed in 1990, Bert had recently started publishing under the West Port Books imprint.
full text of feature
Looking Ahead
On a life spent in publishing - based upon an interview with JOHN CALDER by Jennie Renton.
full text of feature
Penguins in the Belfry
NANCY CAMERON on founding Atholl Browse, a wonderful bookshop in the Scottish Highlands.
full text of feature
A Plague of Paperwork
NANCY CAMERON of Atholl Browse bookshop writes in 2003, when the proposal was made once again that we should pay VAT on books.
full text of feature
Virtual Business
NANCY CAMERON of Atholl Browse buys some software and finds herself running an e-business.
full text of feature
'Antique Smith' the Affable Forger
DAVID FERGUS describes the career of forger 'Antique Smith'.
full text of feature
Castlelaw Unto Themselves
When Alex Frizzell was interviewed in 1990 for Scottish Book Collector he was already retired and living in Peebles with his wife, Marion. For many years they were based in West Linton, where they specialised in Scottish books and fine printing. They ran their own limited edition printing business, the Castlelaw Press. They were close friends of Chris and Valda Grieve. Talking to SBC, Alex recalled a gregarious lifetime in books. As a couple, the Frizzells were great craic and are remembered with affection.
full text of feature
Russell Hunter
Glasgow actor RUSSELL HUNTER, who died in 2004, interviewed by Jennie Renton in March 1986.
full text of feature
Orb's Bookshop
ANNIE LAMB's experience of running a secondhand bookshop.
full text of feature
Defining Characters
ALISTAIR MCCLEERY profiles the Chambers brothers, founders of the famous publishing house that shares their name.
full text of feature
What's In Store?
GERRY MCFEELY on the work involved in running a second-hand bookstore.
full text of feature
McNaughtan's Bookshop
This 1986 interview from the Scottish Book Collector archive with bookseller Marjorie McNaughtan - then retired - evokes a golden era in the book trade. Marjorie was a renowned expert in children's books and the shop was a magnet for collectors. Its traditions have been continued by Elizabeth Strong, the current proprietor. Textualities editor Jennie Renton here also shares her own childhood memories of McNaughtan's.
full text of feature
Adam McNaughtan
This interview with folk singer and bookseller ADAM MCNAUGHTAN was conducted in 1997 by Jennie Renton.
full text of feature
Browning Around
Jennie Renton and Benjamin Morris interview STEPHEN PRICKETT, the Director of the Armstrong Browning Library, which boasts the world's largest Browning collection and has an important collection of works by 19th century women poets.
full text of feature
Eric Morten Interview
JENNIE RENTON interviews Manchester publisher and bookseller Eric Morten on his richly varied life in the book trade.
full text of feature
Booked for Life
Profile of the Lyon & Turnbull book expert John Sibbald by JENNIE RENTON.
full text of feature