100 BEST SCOTTISH BOOKS
All publicity is good publicity
I Everybody loves a list. Well. you'd think so from the proliferation of '100 Greatest‘ programmes on television. But when it comes to the national treasures. things tend to get a little more heated. especially. it seems. if Burns doesn‘t get a look in. Last issue. The List published its guide to the 100 Best Scottish Books. selected by Glasgow University’s Professor Willy Maley. Chief among its critics was The Scotland on Sunday. which labelled the selection a ‘joke' because of its lack of poetry (or rather its exclusion of Burns). and which quoted Janice Galloway (pictured above) as claiming that it was ‘ineffably stupid'. Next among its grievances came Maley‘s decision to include non-Scottish authors in the selection. namely Virginia Woolf. George Orwell and Joseph Conrad. The Sunday Herald admired ‘his cheek' for this manoeuvre. but pointed out that while JK Rowling was ‘one of the least controversial inclusions‘. ‘the Harry Potter factor‘ was bound have a huge effect on the voting. Meanwhile. the Daily Record got to the heart of this issue. not by questioning the historical or academic validity of the authors selected, but by noting that it meant Scottish writers would ‘face challenges from foreigners‘ for the top spot. Have your own say by texting Vote and the name of your favourite book to 87800. or by logging on to www./ist.co.uk
SKATING ON THIN ICE
Who painted the iconic minister?
I It‘s handbags at dawn in the art world after claims by Stephen Lloyd. senior curator at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, that the so-called ‘Skating Minister‘ painting is not by Sir Henry Raeburn after all. Lloyd believes that the real artist was a Frenchman called Henri-Pierre Danloux, who lived in Edinburgh during the 17905, and this was first reported in The
How the papers filled their pages this week
‘F'BST HE R “"5 3 BACK 55$? Magow
TEEN MAGAZINES
Sorting the birds from the bees
I It‘s a tricky business being a teenager. You've got so much to worry about — spots, raging hormones. mates and, top of the list, sex. New Scientist's adolescence special delves into the worrying rise in STDs and rates of teenage pregnancy. comparing the effectiveness of abstinence against sexual education (which apparently these days involves ‘a demonstration of how to put a condom on a cucumber'). Neither seems to work particularly well, according to the stats. While abstaining reduces promiscuity it doesn't really deal with STDs. although traditional school sex ed has little effect on either. So what do teenage mags have to say on the topic? Cosmo Girl gives handy tips on what to do if your best mate is sleeping around. Apparently. telling her ‘she‘s turning into a slapper‘ is a big no-no — a better tactic is to ‘show her by example it's cool to wait until you meet a special guy'. Sugar's comprehensive ‘Sex Ed class’ is much more direct. ‘Before you even think about doing it, you need to be confident in your sexual knowledge'. which means debunking the myth that ‘that you can’t catch a STD if you're a virgin'. Having self respect. being a control freak and avoiding alcohol are also in its top five tips. However. none of this seems to be necessary for Amy. 16. from Bolton who has been going out with her boyfriend for two years and is still mystified by what a ‘hand job' is. Bless.
potentially damaging because. as The Times points out, the iconic for the institution'. But the debate sentiment about it, with The under the headline ‘French artist
theory rejected”. It quotes a former NPG keeper, Dr Duncan Thomson,
image ‘has achieved "brand" status' has a whiff of Glasgow vs Edinburgh
Scotsman defending the status quo
‘I know for a fact there is no one to compare to me on the face of the earth.‘
‘l’m not doing their dirty work and knocking down my own children’s play area. They will have to send in hired thugs.’
‘The views towards the river and hills have stayed as stunning as they were. But the towns themselves seem to have suffered worse damage thanks to town planners than the Luftwaffe ever succeeded in inflicting.’
‘There is a presenter, as I understand they have to be called, called Sandy Burnett, who sounds like the gibbering of a demented parakeet.’
‘He takes a blinkingly good picture. He’s disgustingly photogenic.’
‘l’m happy with every track on the album. Liam’s even written a few belters.’
Herald. While The Independent suggested the mere allegation is ‘enough to send a cold shiver down the spine of the most patriotic art lover'. National Gallery of Scotland
who is convinced that the painting is by the Scot, while The Herald‘s letters page picks out comment about the ‘face of the ignorant Edinburgh establishment‘.
director Michael Clarke insists it doesn‘t make ‘the subject any less Scottish’ and admits that he is ‘wavering‘ on the matter. This is
8 THE LIST ' 13‘: My