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Readers in Fife, Tayside and Angus have escaped library fines totalling thousands of pounds during the coronavirus crisis.
Books fans have kept hold of 44,456 overdue books in the area after the Covid-19 crisis threw return schedules into disarray.
Scottish crime stalwarts Ian Rankin and Stuart MacBride join lesser known names – such as His Bloody Project writer Graeme Macrae Burnet – among the top writers least likely to have made it back onto library shelves.
Many libraries across the region had previously managed to reopen in a limited form, but the latest virus guidance means outlets have again closed their doors.
Paul Whitelaw TV Previews: Finding warmth and hope in festive TV offerings by Paul Whitelaw
Call the Midwife has become a festive staple.
TV critic Paul Whitelaw takes us through the highs and lows of this year’s festive TV offerings, with highlights including the enduring warmth of Call The Midwife.
Call the Midwife BBC1, Christmas Day 7.40pm
You can instantly tell that this Christmas special was filmed under social-distancing conditions, but that does fade into insignificance once the story takes hold. The everlasting appeal of Call The Midwife can’t be vanquished by people standing quite far apart from each other. This year, 1965 to be exact, the circus comes to town. Peter Davison ups the pathos factor. Midwife cleaves to a proven formula, but my goodness it works. These people are heart-tugging artisans. It’s not a cynical show, though. That emotion is sincere. I guarantee you will have tears in your eyes by the end. It’s a gentle jolt of warmth and hope, some
by Paul Whitelaw
The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross.
Paul Whitelaw shares his TV highlights for the week ahead, with the simple pleasure of watching Bob Ross paint the pick of the bunch.
The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross- BBC FOUR Monday to Thursday , 7pm
The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross.
The BBC’s most inspired decision during this horrific year was the emergency archival revival of Bob Ross, that exquisitely hirsute American painter whose gently hippie-infused presentation style is the very definition of escapist calm. When Bob daubs, all your worries vanish. In this latest run of repeats, originally broadcast in the early 1980s, Bob paints wintry vistas inspired by his love of nature. “Sometimes winter scenes can be so cold, they’re almost unpleasant. I like to make winter scenes…that make you feel good in here.” Irony be damned, watching Bob in his engrossing element is a wonderful thing. A nice, talented person creating art before your very eyes. He does mak