Malcolm Archibald Boeken

For over 160 years, Dundee sent ships to the Arctic to hunt the whales. It was a brutal, dangerous business but one which was vital to the economy of the city. This book shows some of the most evocative images, together with explanatory text.

At the end of the 19th century, Dundee was Europe's premier Arctic whaling port. From humble beginnings in the 1750's this national industry had survived French and American wars, privateers, economic slumps, storms, heart-wrenching disasters and some amazing triumphs. From 1860 until the 1880's, Dundee built the most efficient Arctic vessels in the world. Despite being only a small city on the east coast of Scotland, as the 19th century closed, it was the most important Arctic whaling port in Europe. The Dundee Whaling Fleet gives an overview of Dundee's experience in Arctic whaling, including a valuable guide to every ship in the fleet with statistics, dates and a thumbnail history. It also gives sketches of the most prominent of the whaling masters, Dundee shipping companies and 350 of the tens of thousands of seamen who took the ships north.

Across the Pond tells of the changing use of this ocean, from a barrier to a route to riches and a highway for trade. Much is covered - exploration and exploitation; fighting and fishing; luxury cruises on the steamships of the Cunard and Collins lines and always the dangers of the sea. There also slipped the slavers with their cargo of shame. The story of the early aerial pioneers is recounted, there being many contenders for the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic, such as the flying boats, known as the nancies. This is an ocean that bred some of the world's hardiest mariners, famous men such as Cabot, Hudson and Vespucci but also the nameless thousands who manned the ships, the hard-used mariners from the Chesapeake, the Solway and Seville. Here was bred the down east Yankee, the Nova Scotian bluenose and the Scouser from Liverpool. Across the Pond tells some of their story.

England is in the midst of war with France. Matthew Pryde, engineer at a coal mine in Kent, is regarded as the perfect spy to send across the English Channel to investigate rumors that the French are digging a tunnel underneath the Channel.

In the 19th century Scotland was depicted as a land of misty glens, engineering innovation and inventive genius. But Scotland was also the home of brutal murder, terrifying riots, child cruelty, bank robbery and acid attack. This book exposes some of the crimes, remembered and forgotten, that rocked the Scotland of our ancestors.

There cannot be many cities where crime could mean anything from stealing a ship to singing a seditious song, but nineteenth-century Glasgow was a unique place with an amazing dynamism. This book chronicles the century-long struggle of the forces of law and order to bring peace to a troubled city.

A fascinating insight into life in the Highlands and Islands as the forces of law and order battled to bring peace to a troubled land.

Books 4-5 in Malcolm Archibald's 'The Swordswoman', a series of historical fantasy novels, now in one volume! Melcorka of Alba: Melcorka and Bradan's journey takes an unexpected turn when a storm diverts their course and reveals unsettling changes in Melcorka. Stranded in the mysterious city of Kollchi, they encounter supernatural forces unlike any they've faced before. With her faithful sword Defender, Melcorka courageously battles the unknown. But in a treacherous land filled with monsters and dark powers, will it be enough to overcome the daunting challenges ahead? Loki's Sword: Back in her homeland of Alba, the intrepid Swordswoman Melcorka is tasked by the High King with a critical mission: to confront and vanquish the fearsome Butcher, a ruthless adversary wielding Loki's Sword. As she and Bradan navigate a perilous path, they inch closer to their ultimate, formidable enemy. Yet, amidst the dangerous quest, Melcorka begins to unravel the layers surrounding the Butcher and the mysteries locked within Loki's Sword. Can she uncover the truth hidden beneath the surface and triumph over her formidable foe?

The book explores the diverse array of battles fought in Scotland and by the Scots over nearly nine centuries of independence. It delves into the historical context of these conflicts, highlighting significant events and their impact on Scottish identity and heritage. Through detailed accounts, readers gain insight into the military strategies and cultural significance of these battles, showcasing Scotland's rich and tumultuous history.