Scottish athletics books
A number of early athletics books have been digitised on the excellent Athlos site, and can be read there without charge. Visit Athlos
General histories
Pedestrianism (1813). Walter Thom.
The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland (1891). W McCombie Smith.
Fifty Years of Athletics: an historical record of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association (1933). Kenneth Whitton and David A Jamieson, 160 pages.
Powderhall and Pedestrianism (1943). David A Jamieson, 320 pages.
Gold at New Year (1972). John Franklin, 117 pages.
Scottish Athletics 1883-1983 (1982). John W Keddie, 264 pages.
Runs will take place whatever the weather: the centenary history of the Scottish Cross Country Union 1890-1990 (1990). Colin A Shields, 283 pages.
The Past is a Foreign Country: a history of Scottish Athletics (2014). Colin Shields and Arnold Black, 284 pages.
Scottish Athletics Record Book (2018). Arnold Black, 113 pages (online only, click on heading to read).
Yearbooks
Scottish Athletics, later Scottish Athletics Yearbook (Scottish Association of Track Statisticians). Published annually 1960 to 2009 (now maintained online by SATS).
Events
Official History of the IXth British Commonwealth Games, Edinburgh (1970). William Carmichael and M McIntyre Hood, 408 pages.
Unfriendly Games, Boycotted and Broke: the inside story of the 1986 Commonwealth Games (1986). Derek Bateman and Derek Douglas, 127 pages.
The Ben Nevis Race (1956). Charles Steel, 40 pages.
The Ben Race, the supreme test of athletic fitness (1994). Hugh Dan MacLennan, 218 pages.
A Hardy Race: the Scottish Marathon Championship 1946-2000 and the Scottish Women's Championship 1983-2000 (2000). Fraser Clyne and Colin Youngson, 104 pages.
Biographies and autobiographies
Scottish Athletic Celebrities Album (1886). Scottish Athletic Journal.
Marathon and Chips [Jim Alder] (1981). Arthur T McKenzie, 136 pages.
Highland Fling: Bill Anderson's journey from farm boy to World Champion (2009). Jack Davidson, 224 pages.
The Celebrated Captain Barclay (2001). Peter Radford, 342 pages.
Jimmy Curran, Scotland's Greatest Athletics Coach (2020). Craig Statham, 398 pages.
Running Recollections and How to Train (1900). AR Downer, 150 pages.
Donald Dinnie, the First Sporting Superstar (1999). David Webster and Gordon Dinnie, 158 pages.
The Universe is Mine (1993). John Emmet Farrell, 92 pages.
Eric Liddell: the making of an athlete and the training of a missionary (c1945). DP Thomson, 40 pages.
Scotland's Greatest Athlete: the Eric Liddell Story (1970 pb; 1971 hb). DP Thomson, 240 pages.
The Flying Scotsman [Eric Liddell] (1981). Sally Magnusson, 191 pages.
Eric Liddell: Pure Gold (2001). David McCasland, 333 pages.
Running the Race. Eric Liddell, Olympic Champion and Missionary (2007). John W Keddie, 272 pages.
Finish the Race: Eric Liddell (2011). John W Keddie, 160 pages.
For the Glory: the Life of Eric Liddell (2016). Duncan Hamilton, 384 pages.
Queen of the Track, the Liz McColgan Story (1992). Adrianne Blue, 192 pages.
The Unique Double (1983). George McNeill, 96 pages.
Club histories
From Long Shorts to Short Longs: The Story of Bellahouston Harriers (1992). Robin Sykes.
Clydesdale Harriers, a centenary history 1885-1985 (1988). Brian McAusland, c80 pages.
Edinburgh Southern Harriers (1947, 1972, 1987, 1997)
The Story of Edinburgh University Athletic Club (1966). CM Usher, 439 pages.
The Green Machine, the story of Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds 1960-1970 (2017). Alistair Blamire, 131 pages.
Garscube Harriers Centenary History (1998).
Glasgow University Athletic Club: the story of the first hundred years (1981). RO MacKenna, 128 pages.
Greenock Glenpark Harriers, A Short History (1995). Colin Shiels, 12 pages.
An East End Odyssey: One Hundred Years of Shettleston Harriers (2004). John Cairney, 460 pages.
First Hundred: Teviotdale Harriers Centenary, 1889-1989 (1988). John L Coltman, 200 pages.
Highland Games, general
Men of Muscle and the Highland Games of Scotland (1901). C Donaldson.
Scottish Sports and how to excel in them (1910). JJ Miller
Highland Gatherings (1927). Sir Iain Colquhoun and Hugh Machell, 207 pages.
Scottish Highland Games (1973). David Webster, 143 pages.
The Games (1974). Charlie Allan, 72 pages.
Highland Games, the making of the myth (1991). Grant Jarvie, 120 pages.
The World History of Highland Games (2011). David Webster, 288 pages.
Highland Games, specific gatherings
[This is necessarily an incomplete list as many gatherings include their history in the event programme each year]
Aboyne (1909)
Aboyne, the results of the principal competitions 1867-1927 (1927). 64 pages.
Aboyne (1960)
Aboyne Highland Games 150th Anniversary Souvenir (2017).
The Story of Airth Highland Games 1871-1984 (1984). Steve McGrail et al, 32 pages.
One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Alva Gymnastic Games (2006). Norman Dovey, 40 pages.
History of the Argyllshire Gathering 1871-1971 (1971). G Malcolm, 40 pages.
Blackford (1994)
Braemar (1926)
A history of Cowal Highland Gathering (1959). William Laidlaw Inglis, 44 pages.
Crieff Highland Gathering, a Retrospect of Fifty Years (1920). A Porteous.
Halkirk and its Highland Games (1977). Donald Omand and John Porter, 56 pages.
'e Games, a History of the Halkirk Highland Games (2003). James B Gunn jun, 76 pages.
Glenisla Highland Games 150th, 1856-2019 (2019). Glenisla Highland and Friendly Society, 64 pages.
Skye Games, 1877-1998 (1998). Skye Highland Games Committee, 120 pages.
General histories
Pedestrianism (1813). Walter Thom.
The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland (1891). W McCombie Smith.
Fifty Years of Athletics: an historical record of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association (1933). Kenneth Whitton and David A Jamieson, 160 pages.
Powderhall and Pedestrianism (1943). David A Jamieson, 320 pages.
Gold at New Year (1972). John Franklin, 117 pages.
Scottish Athletics 1883-1983 (1982). John W Keddie, 264 pages.
Runs will take place whatever the weather: the centenary history of the Scottish Cross Country Union 1890-1990 (1990). Colin A Shields, 283 pages.
The Past is a Foreign Country: a history of Scottish Athletics (2014). Colin Shields and Arnold Black, 284 pages.
Scottish Athletics Record Book (2018). Arnold Black, 113 pages (online only, click on heading to read).
Yearbooks
Scottish Athletics, later Scottish Athletics Yearbook (Scottish Association of Track Statisticians). Published annually 1960 to 2009 (now maintained online by SATS).
Events
Official History of the IXth British Commonwealth Games, Edinburgh (1970). William Carmichael and M McIntyre Hood, 408 pages.
Unfriendly Games, Boycotted and Broke: the inside story of the 1986 Commonwealth Games (1986). Derek Bateman and Derek Douglas, 127 pages.
The Ben Nevis Race (1956). Charles Steel, 40 pages.
The Ben Race, the supreme test of athletic fitness (1994). Hugh Dan MacLennan, 218 pages.
A Hardy Race: the Scottish Marathon Championship 1946-2000 and the Scottish Women's Championship 1983-2000 (2000). Fraser Clyne and Colin Youngson, 104 pages.
Biographies and autobiographies
Scottish Athletic Celebrities Album (1886). Scottish Athletic Journal.
Marathon and Chips [Jim Alder] (1981). Arthur T McKenzie, 136 pages.
Highland Fling: Bill Anderson's journey from farm boy to World Champion (2009). Jack Davidson, 224 pages.
The Celebrated Captain Barclay (2001). Peter Radford, 342 pages.
Jimmy Curran, Scotland's Greatest Athletics Coach (2020). Craig Statham, 398 pages.
Running Recollections and How to Train (1900). AR Downer, 150 pages.
Donald Dinnie, the First Sporting Superstar (1999). David Webster and Gordon Dinnie, 158 pages.
The Universe is Mine (1993). John Emmet Farrell, 92 pages.
Eric Liddell: the making of an athlete and the training of a missionary (c1945). DP Thomson, 40 pages.
Scotland's Greatest Athlete: the Eric Liddell Story (1970 pb; 1971 hb). DP Thomson, 240 pages.
The Flying Scotsman [Eric Liddell] (1981). Sally Magnusson, 191 pages.
Eric Liddell: Pure Gold (2001). David McCasland, 333 pages.
Running the Race. Eric Liddell, Olympic Champion and Missionary (2007). John W Keddie, 272 pages.
Finish the Race: Eric Liddell (2011). John W Keddie, 160 pages.
For the Glory: the Life of Eric Liddell (2016). Duncan Hamilton, 384 pages.
Queen of the Track, the Liz McColgan Story (1992). Adrianne Blue, 192 pages.
The Unique Double (1983). George McNeill, 96 pages.
Club histories
From Long Shorts to Short Longs: The Story of Bellahouston Harriers (1992). Robin Sykes.
Clydesdale Harriers, a centenary history 1885-1985 (1988). Brian McAusland, c80 pages.
Edinburgh Southern Harriers (1947, 1972, 1987, 1997)
The Story of Edinburgh University Athletic Club (1966). CM Usher, 439 pages.
The Green Machine, the story of Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds 1960-1970 (2017). Alistair Blamire, 131 pages.
Garscube Harriers Centenary History (1998).
Glasgow University Athletic Club: the story of the first hundred years (1981). RO MacKenna, 128 pages.
Greenock Glenpark Harriers, A Short History (1995). Colin Shiels, 12 pages.
An East End Odyssey: One Hundred Years of Shettleston Harriers (2004). John Cairney, 460 pages.
First Hundred: Teviotdale Harriers Centenary, 1889-1989 (1988). John L Coltman, 200 pages.
Highland Games, general
Men of Muscle and the Highland Games of Scotland (1901). C Donaldson.
Scottish Sports and how to excel in them (1910). JJ Miller
Highland Gatherings (1927). Sir Iain Colquhoun and Hugh Machell, 207 pages.
Scottish Highland Games (1973). David Webster, 143 pages.
The Games (1974). Charlie Allan, 72 pages.
Highland Games, the making of the myth (1991). Grant Jarvie, 120 pages.
The World History of Highland Games (2011). David Webster, 288 pages.
Highland Games, specific gatherings
[This is necessarily an incomplete list as many gatherings include their history in the event programme each year]
Aboyne (1909)
Aboyne, the results of the principal competitions 1867-1927 (1927). 64 pages.
Aboyne (1960)
Aboyne Highland Games 150th Anniversary Souvenir (2017).
The Story of Airth Highland Games 1871-1984 (1984). Steve McGrail et al, 32 pages.
One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Alva Gymnastic Games (2006). Norman Dovey, 40 pages.
History of the Argyllshire Gathering 1871-1971 (1971). G Malcolm, 40 pages.
Blackford (1994)
Braemar (1926)
A history of Cowal Highland Gathering (1959). William Laidlaw Inglis, 44 pages.
Crieff Highland Gathering, a Retrospect of Fifty Years (1920). A Porteous.
Halkirk and its Highland Games (1977). Donald Omand and John Porter, 56 pages.
'e Games, a History of the Halkirk Highland Games (2003). James B Gunn jun, 76 pages.
Glenisla Highland Games 150th, 1856-2019 (2019). Glenisla Highland and Friendly Society, 64 pages.
Skye Games, 1877-1998 (1998). Skye Highland Games Committee, 120 pages.