The Mile - Softcover

Craig Smith

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0956614485 ISBN 13: 9780956614483

Publisher: Pilrig Press, 2013

Synopsis

It s a week before 2014 s referendum on Scottish independence. Three friends: a nationalist, a unionist and a couldnae-care-lesser meet for a pub crawl down Edinburgh s historic Royal Mile. Can Ian convince Euan to vote for independence or is he just gambling with all their futures? Will Euan s defence of the union break Ian s resolve, or is he just hanging on to another struggling marriage? Does Stuart even care? And how can a travel writer have a fear of flying? And who is the mysterious ninety-five year old man in the red tartan trousers? The Mile is an entertaining alcohol-fuelled stagger down a street that has a lot more to it than tartan rugs and cashmere shops. Join our friends, their hangers-on, and their pursuers, as they take in 300 years of Scottish history. And a skinful of beer and whisky...

About this title

Review:

This is a much-needed injection of booze-soaked banter and comedy into the independence debate. Assured and heartwarming stuff; Doug Johnstone

A witty comedy with a big heart and surprise waiting at every pub stop, The Mile is a whirlwind of laughs, loss and love. If that isn t enough to get you reading, then you may never find out how Scotland is like a millionaire s shortcake ... Karyn Dougan, Glasgow Review of Books

Arguably the best thing I've seen written about the independence referendum Samuel Best (author of Shop Front)

An excellent novel - Undiscovered Scotland

At its whisky-soaked heart ... it is an enjoyable and human tale, which entertains rather than preaches and by doing so makes its points far more engagingly than it otherwise would. Edinburgh Spotlight

Smith has an ear for everyday language and the banter of the boozer, and nobody is allowed to take themselves too seriously for long. Alistair Braidwood, Scots Whay Hae

The Mile brings the referendum debate together in a fictional context, and in a way that is far more accessible than some of the tracts I ve found online. Bethany Anderson, Subtle Melodrama

Smith s smooth, easily-read prose successfully invokes the atmosphere of the Scottish capital s oldest street from the tourists mingling in its historic pubs to the bizarre street performers you find there during the Festival. Northwords Now --Online reviews

About the Author:

Craig Smith lives in Musselburgh with his wife, two children, a cat, and Scotland s oldest goldfish. He s been many things in his time, but by far the most challenging was washing dishes in a Mexican restaurant (all that baked-on cheese is a nightmare to clean). Nowadays, when not making a living designing web sites, he occasionally dusts off his bass guitar and joins one of his old bands on the nostalgia circuit. This led to him waking up hungover and naked with his bandmates in a Tokyo bathhouse at 7am, so it s not all pipes and slippers (although it was very hard getting out of that bath). He s the proud recipient of two NME singles of the week and four Ks in Kerrang, which he s tempted to get tattooed on his arm but is scared he d chicken out after three. The Mile is his debut novel, and was written feverishly, fuelled by the pressing nature of the independence debate. His next book will be longer.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pilrig Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0956614485
• ISBN 13: 9780956614483
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 170
• Illustrator: Emily Hogarth