The Luath Story

Luath Press takes its name from Robert Burns, whose little collie Luath (Gael., swift or nimble) tripped up Jean Armour at a wedding and gave him the chance to speak to the woman who was to be his wife and the abiding love of his life. Burns called one of The Twa Dogs Luath after Cuchullin’s hunting dog in Ossian’s Fingal. 

I see her in the dewy flowers, 
I see her sweet and fair; I hear her in the tunefu’ birds, 
I hear her charm the air: 
There's not a bony flower that springs 
By fountain, shaw, or green; 
There’s not a bony bird that sings 
But minds me o’ my Jean.
(From I Love My Jean by Robert Burns)

Originally set up in the heart of Burns country, Luath Press is now based a few steps up the road from Burns’ first lodgings on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. 

Luath Press not only offers you distinctive writing with a hint of unexpected pleasures but also looks to publish strong voices from multiple backgrounds. Whether it be politics, history, humor, fiction or poetry, Luath Press will have you covered in English, Scots and Gaelic. 

History

In 1981, Luath Press was established by Tom and Rene Atkinson in Barr, Ayrshire. Upon his return to Scotland, Tom had discovered that there were no good descriptive guides to different areas in Scotland. He took it upon himself to fill this gap by writing and publishing the Luath Guide Series. 

It wasn’t long until this was followed by other books by other writers being published with Luath Press, some of which have remained in print for many years (Mountain Days and Bothy Nights, Bare Feet and Tackey Boots and many more). 

Tom had lived a rather interesting life that brought a unique perspective to Luath and the publishing industry. As a teenager, Tom had gone to Spain to join the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War, only to be sent home as he was too young to fight. In WWII he was in the RAF Servicing Commandos. At the end of the war, he was heavily involved in securing independence for Indonesia. He subsequently worked for the new president for over 15 years, during which he delivered a speech to the UN on the status of small nations. 

Following Tom’s retirement in 1997, Gavin and Audrey MacDougall took over the running of Luath Press, moving it to its current home in Edinburgh. 

When Tom died in 2007, his obituary in The Guardian read that he was ‘the Alistair Campbell of Indonesia’. 

Since 1997, Luath Press has continued to grow and reach new heights. From introducing new authors to the world of publishing to working with familiar faces and reaching into new mediums, Luath Press is still committed to its core belief of publishing well-written books worth reading.