The Surnames of Scotland

by George F. Black

2022 · Birlinn Ltd

First published by the New York Public Library in 1946, Black's The Surnames of Scotland has long established itself as one of the great classics of genealogy. Arranged alphabetically, each entry contains a concise history of the family in question (with many cross-references), making it an indispensable tool for those researching their own family history, as well as readers with a general interest in Scottish history. An informative introduction and glossary also provide much useful information.

Soul Circus

by George Pelecanos

2003 · Little, Brown

Bleak, gritty and moving, Soul Circus superbly brings to life a devastating story of life and death in Washington's black ghettos. Private Investigator Derek Strange and his partner, Terry Quinn, are running a detective business in the seedy underbelly of Washington, DC when they are approached by a young man asking them to find his girlfriend who has gone missing. And so Strange and Quinn find her. Just another day? Not quite. In the grimy underworld inhabited by Strange, nothing is that simple. For Strange and Quinn's efforts have led to a young mother being brutally murdered -- a devastating discovery that causes them both to question the morality by which they live. And yet at the same time they need to continue the search for another missing girl, a teenage runaway who shows up in a porn video. And who hasn't been seen since. Step by step, Strange and his partner are drawn into the darkness, confronting gunrunners, crime lords, drug dealers, and ordinary people caught up in the ruthless violence of the business. Soul Circus is a heart-stopping thriller that could only have been written by George Pelecanos, the writer who "has gone from cult favorite to acknowledged master" (Booklist).