Hi, I’m John Mackay
This is where to come if you want to find out more about my work as a writer.
NEWS
‘Scotland Today and Yesterday’ to be launched this month
My new book ‘Scotland Today and Yesterday’ is being launched at the end of this month.
The book tracks how Scotland has changed over the last four decades using news scripts, interview transcripts and personal reflections.
It includes: the tragedies of Lockerbie and Dunblane; the creation of the Scottish Parliament; the drama of elections and referendums; interviews with Prime Ministers and First Ministers; sporting triumphs and tears; the Covid pandemic; the Queen’s death in Scotland; and much of the colour in between.
‘Scotland Today & Yesterday’ is an expanded and updated version of my 2015 book ‘Notes of a Newsman’. Soon after that book was published there was the Brexit referendum, the result of which caused further upheaval. As I noted in Downing Street on the day of the result, ‘We were all expecting that we would be entering a period of relative political calm, but not now.’
In the midst of all the political drama there is the light and shade of regular Scottish life.
And we meet many of Scotland’s biggest names: Billy Connolly, Kevin Bridges, Andy Murray, Kenny Dalglish, Chris Hoy, David Tennant, James McAvoy, Irvine Welsh, Val McDermid, William McIlvanney, Peter May, Runrig, The Proclaimers, Sharleen Spiteri, Ronnie Browne, Dougie MacLean, the Still Game guys, Mark Millar and many more. Not to mention international stars from Dolly Parton to Richard Gere. And Will Ferrell even gives me Anchorman advice.
The book will be available on the week of 25th November 2024.
I will be in Waterstones on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow on the evening of Thursday 28th November and a special event on Saturday 30th November at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery.
News
‘The Road Dance’ released in the United States
‘The Road Dance’ has this month been released in selected cinemas across the United States and on all the major streaming services.
Some early reviews have been excellent.
“When you aren’t mesmerized by the candlelit interiors or the waves breaking on the cliff bottoms captured by cinematographer Petra Korner, you almost get swept away by the dramatics of MacKay’s novel adapted by director Richie Adams.” (Boston Herald)
“The Road Dance manages to defy expectations, eschewing genre conventions to deliver a rich, moving portrait of perseverance.” (Illinois Times)
‘The Road Dance’ is available to view on the BBC iPlayer and on all major streaming platforms in the UK – iTunes, SKY Store, Amazon Prime, Virgin Media and Google Play.
