I wrote a while ago about the memoirs of Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus, ‘the Highland Lady’, whose memoirs of life in Scotland in the early 19th century were so popular. Now I’m reading her later volume of memoirs, written when she was married and helping to run an estate in Ireland. In her Scottish memoirs, she recalls with […]

My new book has had its first ‘review’ in the States. ‘Choice’, the professional magazine of the American Library Association, has recommended it for students, professionals, and general readers. This is a big step forward because ‘Choice’ is an important influence on what US librarians order for their libraries. ‘An award-winning professional pianist and chamber musician, Tomes has loved “sleeping in […]

The March issue of Gramophone Magazine carries a review of my book ‘Sleeping in Temples’. As the review is not available online except to subscribers, here’s an excerpt: ” ‘Out of Silence’ [my previous book] was written in diary form. ‘Sleeping in Temples’ is a series of extended and unconnected essays on all manner of […]

There’s an article by music critic Ken Walton about me and my book in today’s Scotsman newspaper – click here to read it. For now, an excerpt: ‘Just read her recent fourth book, Sleeping in Temples, in which she muses, in 16 essays, on issues that challenge and intrigue her in relation to her 30-year career as a […]

I’ve been reading the wonderful ‘Memoirs of a Highland Lady’, written by Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus. What a series of unforgettable pictures she paints of her life in the Highlands of Scotland in the early years of the 19th century! As a teenager, I used to get up early to practise the piano, feeling sorry for myself on […]