Half the fun in taking a trip is the planning and preparation. Here are a few of our recommended reads:
'THE SHETLAND GUIDE BOOK' second edition by Charles Tait. An in-depth look at Shetland's archaeology, history and culture, great 'sites to see' section with wonderful color photography - one of our favorite guide books!
'OLD SHETLAND' by Guthrie Hutton. A great look at Shetland in the days of old, full of history, accompanied by great photos from the likes of David Guthrie and Jack Rattar.
'SHETLAND TEXTILES 800 BC TO THE PRESENT', a Shetland Heritage Publication. If there is room for only 1 Shetland book in your textile library, than this is it! Extensive, beautifully photographed, truly inspirational.
'THE SHETLAND BUS' by David Howarth, a British naval officer and operation commander based in Scalloway - the definitive book on Shetland's amazing clandestine operation with German occupied Norway during WWII.
''REAL SHETLAND YARNS, A COLLECTION OF WOOLLY TALES AND MEMORIES', another Shetland Heritage Publication (available at the Elegant Ewe), a collection of 40 personal stories, giving a great insight into tradition.
'COLOURS OF SHETLAND' by Kate Davies (available at the Elegant Ewe), lovely designs from a contemporary designer with historical inspiration.
Tired of reading? Here are a few of our recommended videos for your viewing pleasure:
- 'The Islands of Britain' featuring Martin Clunes (the infamous Doc Martin), available for viewing on you-tube, series 1 features Shetland.
- 'Shetland', a BBC Scotland crime drama series featured on PBS Masterpiece Mystery, featuring Douglas Henshaw as the detective Jimmy Perez.
This is the house that Jimmy Perez, the lead character, lives in. A perfect example of the Lerwick shoreline and common weather conditions.
One last group of books that we have particularly enjoyed is the Ann Cleves Shetland series, the books behind the 'Shetland' BBC Scotland series above. Her books in order are: Raven Black, White Nights, Red Bones, Blue Lightening, Dead Water , Thin Air, and the latest release, Cold Earth.
What is particularly nice about reading the books is that the vernacular and culture are nicely explained, which the videos are not able to do. Ann also has a non-fiction book out, 'Shetland'', a lovely illustrated companion to her novels, taking readers through a year in Shetland, exploring its history, festivals, flora and fauna.
What is particularly nice about reading the books is that the vernacular and culture are nicely explained, which the videos are not able to do. Ann also has a non-fiction book out, 'Shetland'', a lovely illustrated companion to her novels, taking readers through a year in Shetland, exploring its history, festivals, flora and fauna.