Facing the Bear

"Engrossing... this is not simply a story of military hardware and confrontation. Royle is very interesting on how the Cold War influenced our cultural life from the novel to poetry and the protest song." ~The Herald

"An interesting look back at the Cold War era in Scotland." ~The Washington Times

Engrossing… Like a military commander at the top of his game, Royle marshals his material to maximum effect to show how Scotland has been shaped by, and also helped shape, the Cold War, which began in 1945 and ended after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. He ranges far and wide and has that rare talent to marry the local with the geopolitical… But this is not not simply a story of military hardware and confrontation. Royle is very interesting on how the Cold War influenced our cultural life from the novel to poetry and the protest song' ~Barclay McBain, The Herald

Projects a big picture, tracing the cold war across the UK and beyond' ~Yorkshire Post