Alight Here

Book excerpt: When we think of Scottish literature we think first of the urban grit which came from Edinburgh and Glasgow or the rural poetry of the Highlands and Islands. No-one thinks of Falkirk. Who ever came out of Falkirk? The place may be on the map due to engineering innovations such as the Falkirk Wheel and the iconic Kelpies sculpture but the town’s contribution to our nation’s literature has so far been underlooked. Edited and introduced by author and playwright, Alan Bissett - originally from Hallglen in Falkirk - this collection features established writers from the area such as Aidan Moffat, the lyrical genius behind the band Arab Strap; Gordon Legge, who was key to the ‘Rebel Inc’ movement of the 1990s; Janet Paisley, one of Scotland’s leading Scots language voices; and Brian McCabe, arguably one of Scotland’s most accomplished short-story writers. Alongside them are a host of new and young talents, as well as unseen poetry unearthed from Falkirk Archives. Together, these voices create a compelling picture of Falkirk.