Mainstream was founded in Edinburgh in 1978 and is the leading non-fiction publishing house based in Scotland. In 2005, Mainstream announced an exciting new publishing partnership with the Random House Group.
With particular emphasis on biography, history, politics, art, popular culture, sport, health and current affairs, the list features prominent names including Henry McLeish, Les McKeown, Gordon Brown, Paul Ferris, Paul Weller, Jan de Vries, Hunter Davies, Barry Ferguson, Gareth Thomas, Paolo Hewitt, Hugh McIlvanney, Jim Telfer, Paul Heiney, Magnus Magnusson, Marsha Hunt, Stiliyan Petrov, Sir Ian Botham, Mark Ramprakash, Simon Shaw and Elaine C. Smith.
Mainstream has received a number of prestigious book awards, including:
Seeing Red by Alun Carter and Nick Bishop – winner of Best Rugby Book, British Sports Book Awards 2009
When Friday Comes by James Montague – winner of Best New Writer, British Sports Book Awards 2009
Ripley's World by Andy Ripley – winner of Best Rugby Book, British Sports Book Awards 2008
Last Chance to Eat by Gina Mallett – James Beard Award for Food Writing, 2005
Dark Trade by Donald McRae – William Hill Sports Book of the Year, 1996
Dreams of Exile by Ian Bell – Saltire Society Best First Book, 1994
Burns: A Biography by James Mackay – Saltire Society Best Book of the Year, 1994
Endless Winter by Stephen Jones – William Hill Sports Book of the Year, 1993
Scottish Art 1460–1990 by Duncan Macmillan – Saltire Society Best Book of the Year, 1992
Scotland's Music by John Purser – The McVitie Prize for Best Scottish Book, 1992
Shortlisted titles:
Simple Goalkeeping Made Spectacular by Graham Joyce – William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2009 (announcement of winner due on 26 November)
Four Kings by George Kimball – Best New Writer, British Sports Book Awards 2009
Shane: My Story by Shane Williams and Delme Parfitt – Best Rugby Book, British Sports Book Awards 2009
The Resurrection Men by Paul Rees – Best Rugby Book, British Sports Book Awards 2009
Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape by Paul Howard – Best Biography, British Sports Book Awards 2009
Black Farce and Cue Ball Wizards by Clive Everton – Best Biography, British Sports Book Awards 2008
The Gambler by Oisín McConville and Ewan MacKenna – Sports Book of the Year, Irish Book Awards 2008
Believe! by Mark Donaldson and Gary Mackay – Best New Writer category, British Book Awards 2007
Dancing in the Sea by Catherine Hill – nominated for the J.R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography, 2005
Mainstream has worked with a number of companies on a sponsorship or cooperation basis, including Absolut Vodka, Bank of Scotland, Bass Breweries, Bell's Whisky, The Famous Grouse, The Herald newspaper, International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Trust for Scotland, The Post Office, Royal Bank of Scotland, Scotsman Publications, Standard Life, Waterstones , the Imperial War Museum and St Andrews Links. Mainstream has also worked closely with a number of charities, including CARE International, The Prostate Cancer Charity and the NSPCC.