War and football may seem like odd bedfellows, but author Daniel Gray is equally fascinated by both subjects.
Daniel, a lively public performer who appears regularly on TV and is known as The People’s Historian has mastered that difficult act of bringing to life forgotten episodes in Scotland’s history.
At two special events hosted by independent bookshop The Bookmark in Grantown this week, Daniel will talk about Scots anti-fascist fervour and passion for football. The first talk takes place tonight at 7pm, when he will read from his book, Homage to Caledonia (Luath Press).
During the Spanish Civil War, 35,000 people from across the world volunteered to join the armed resistance in a war on fascism. More people, proportionately, went from Scotland than any other country, and the entire nation was gripped by the conflict.
Daniel looks at what drove so many ordinary Scots to volunteer for a foreign war and as the current political situation in Catalonia resonates with many Scots today, this will bring a topical edge.
This event takes place on Thursday June 7, at The Pagoda, Seafield Avenue, Grantown. Tickets, including a glass of wine, are priced at £5 and available from The Bookmark on the High Street; at the door or by calling 01479 873 433.
On Saturday, Daniel’s attention switches to the beautiful game, aka football.
The book 50 Eternal Delights of Modern Football (Bloomsbury) is Daniel’s hymn to football and contains 50 short essays of prose celebrating what is timelessly good about the game – an antidote to the rampant commercialism surrounding it today.
He will read extracts from his book as part of an afternoon celebrating Scottish football.
And as no football match is complete without Bovril and pies, these will be served and there will be a screening of the legendary 1978 World Cup Holland v Scotland game.
Marjory Marshall, of The Bookmark, said: “We’re delighted to be able to bring Daniel’s work to Highland audiences.
“Daniel is of course well known for his TV and radio appearances as well as his writing. He is engaging, perceptive, amusing and down to earth, and these talks, while contrasting in theme, are both guaranteed to be hugely entertaining.”
Daniel also researched and wrote Scotch! The Story of Whisky, a critically-acclaimed mini series for BBC television.
And he is currently working on another BBC Scotland documentary series due for broadcast this year.
He’s also co-directed several short films and, since last year, has been working for the Edinburgh International Book Festival as a writer-in-residence on their New Passages project, across the Scottish New Towns.
A Celebration of Scottish Football takes place on Saturday June 9 at 3pm at Strathspey Thistle Football Ground, Seafield Park, Grantown. Tickets at the turnstile £3 (concessions/free entry).