Birlinn Books

Birlinn Books Birlinn is an independent publisher based in Edinburgh.

We are very proud to announce that two of our books have been longlisted for the Saltire Society Poetry Book of the Year...
18/09/2026

We are very proud to announce that two of our books have been longlisted for the Saltire Society Poetry Book of the Year 2026. Everything, Everyday by Hannah Lavery is a remarkable poetic journal of the year, bearing witness and celebrating resistance, in poems that are an unflinching response to the world we currently live in. Get Closer by Ryan Van Winkle is a poetic photo album, with intensely visual poems that respond to photographs in order to interrogate memory and meditate on the anxieties and insecurities of a life.

The Saltire Society exists to champion Scottish culture, and they know that the literature of any country is key to preserving its cultural memory and constructing its national identity. Literature brings joy, helps us make sense of the world, and acts as a catalyst for social and political change.

Congratulations to both Hannah and Ryan on this achievement!

As the days begin to get cooler, why not discover the healing benefits of deep heat? In Saunaland, author Hannah Mary Go...
17/09/2026

As the days begin to get cooler, why not discover the healing benefits of deep heat?

In Saunaland, author Hannah Mary Goodlad travels across Scotland, from the windswept isles of Shetland to the emerald-green Arran, the granite heart of Aberdeen and the urban mosaic of Auld Reekie, visiting the country’s unique wild saunas.

This wonderful book explores ancient remedies and healing herbs that enhance the sauna experience, as well as sharing with the reader the many incredible benefits of sauna culture. Head to your local bookshop and discover for yourself Scotland’s burgeoning sauna culture.

16/09/2026

AFC Wimbledon co-founder and author of our forthcoming book We Shall Not Be Moved hands FA chief explosive letter seeking an apology for football’s ‘crime of the century’. Ivor Heller - an ordinary supporter like every other ordinary fan on the terraces - gives his account of how he dared take on the FA - and beat them, helping to steer Wimbledon back to the big time in this new book. Read more about his campaign:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/40391361/afc-wimbledon-mk-dons-fa-mark-bullingham-apology/

Ian Buxton, our author of Whiskies Galore, has been taking part in events and bookshop signings across Scotland over the...
14/09/2026

Ian Buxton, our author of Whiskies Galore, has been taking part in events and bookshop signings across Scotland over the past couple of weeks, spreading his wealth of knowledge about Scottish wh**ky history and culture. This newly updated edition of his book is available now!

You can see Ian at several forthcoming events including Cheltenham Festivals, Appledore Book Festival, Stratford Literary Festival and more to be announced. Sláinte!

The prize news continues this week with TWO of our wonderful Polygon authors being longlisted for Saltire Society The Sa...
11/09/2026

The prize news continues this week with TWO of our wonderful Polygon authors being longlisted for Saltire Society The Saltire Awards Fiction Book of the Year 2026. 🎉

The Malt Wh**ky Murders by Natalie Jayne Clark, and The Man on the Endless Stair by Chris Barkley are two of our fantastic debut novels published last year, and we are very proud to see them on this list. Congratulations to Natalie and Chris!

✨Shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award!It was announced on BBC Radio 4 Front Row last night that a short st...
11/09/2026

✨Shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award!

It was announced on BBC Radio 4 Front Row last night that a short story by Merryn Glover, our author of The Hidden Fires and Of Stone and Sky, has been shortlisted for the 2026 BBC National Short Story Award.

Merryn’s shortlisted story, Burning Bush, is set in Australia and centres on an old man, Pete, who lives as a recluse out in a shack, communing only with the animals, until one day, when a letter arrives.

You can listen to each of the shortlisted stories broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from Monday to Friday next week, with Merryn’s scheduled for Monday 14th September at 3:30pm.

The prize, now in its 21st year, was established to raise the profile of short-form writing. Previous prize-winners include Zadie Smith, Jon McGregor, Hilary Mantel, Rose Tremain, Tessa Hadley, Helen Oyeyemi and William Trevor.

We are so delighted to see Merryn’s wonderful writing recognised in this way, and we are keeping our fingers crossed for the winner announcement. Congratulations Merryn!

We are delighted to share the news that The Diary of Lies by Philip Miller has been shortlisted for the prestigious McIl...
09/09/2026

We are delighted to share the news that The Diary of Lies by Philip Miller has been shortlisted for the prestigious McIlvanney Prize 2026, which recognises excellence in crime fiction. The winners will be
announced at Bloody Scotland later this month.
Congratulations to Phil and all the other shortlisted authors!

September is here! We are just coming back down to earth from the madness that is Edinburgh in August, and are so excite...
03/09/2026

September is here! We are just coming back down to earth from the madness that is Edinburgh in August, and are so excited to share a selection of brand new books with you this month. 🍂

In the Company of Sheep: From Dartmoor to Shetland by Polly Pullar reveals the fascinating world of sheep culture through her own years as a sheep farmer, personal encounters, interviews, adventures and anecdotes, while emphasising the importance of shepherds, crofters, farmers and their flocks as the backbone of a vital way of rural life.

The Last Gifts fo the Dead is the latest Dr Jack Cuthbert mystery from Bloody Scotland Debut Prize-winning author . London, 1932. A brutal murder, a complex forensic investigation and a safe conviction - or so everyone thinks until D.C.I Mowbray hears the condemned man’s last words. Now he needs Dr Jack Cuthbert to re-examine the case and prove that they have not been responsible for a tragic miscarriage of justice.

2026 is Agnes Owens’ centenary year, and Polygon is proud to be resissuing her entire body of work with a striking new series design. The first four novels were published to critical acclaim in May 2026, and the release of these three new editions with introductions from Heather Parry, Dani Garavelli and William Letford sees the completion of the reissued collection.

Island of Roe Deer is the story of the Hebridean island of Raasay from the time of the hunter-gatherers to the 21st century, written by bestselling author of Calum’s Road, Roger Hutchinson.

The King of Clubs is the story of Champion Golfer Allan Robertson (1815-1859). Until now, Robertson’s role had been as a member of the supporting cast in the story of leading light Tom Morris. This biography puts Robertson in the spotlight and charts one of golf history’s great characters and most talented players.

And a special mention goes to our newly reissued Tam O’Shanter, a wonderfully illustrated edition of this beloved story.

We have some exciting news to share today! Graeme Macrae Burnet’s Benbecula has been nominated for the Best Internationa...
28/08/2026

We have some exciting news to share today! Graeme Macrae Burnet’s Benbecula has been nominated for the Best International Crime Fiction prize at the Ned Kelly Awards. Run by the Australian Crime Writers Association, the Ned Kelly Awards are Australia’s oldest
and most prestigious honours for the best crime fiction and true crime writing published in Australia. Our fiction imprint Polygon published Benbecula last year, and in Australia it is published by Text Publishing. Congratulations Graeme!

A huge congratulations to Natalie Jayne Clark and Alycia Pirmohamed, both Polygon published authors who have been shortl...
27/08/2026

A huge congratulations to Natalie Jayne Clark and Alycia Pirmohamed, both Polygon published authors who have been shortlisted for The List Festival Award in the category Best Rising Scottish Author. We are excited to be publishing new books by both these wonderful writers in 2027! Best of luck for the award ceremony tomorrow. ✨

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10 Newington Road
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EH91QS

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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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