Edinburgh has a literary tradition like no other. In 2004, the capital
became the first ever UNESCO City of Literature and its book festival is
the largest public celebration of the written word on the planet. But
that is merely scratching the surface. For centuries, work written, set
and published in the city, or directly influenced by Edinburgh, has
changed the face of the world. A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume,
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith, The Encyclopaedia Britannica, Dr
Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Peter Pan, Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter are just
a few of the many books and stories that owe their inspiration to
Edinburgh or were created in the city and to these could be added the
city's influential literary journals or the other incredible
achievements of its authors. Walter Scott, for instance, found the lost
Scottish crown jewels, invented the historical romance, helped create
tartan and turned the highlands into a tourist destination. He is also
credited with uniting the highlands and lowlands and kick-starting the
American Civil War. Edinburgh's Literary Heritage seeks to redress that.
Covering authors, books, journals, ideas, festivals, attractions and
landmarks, it tells the fascinating history of Edinburgh's astonishing
literary legacy, as well as being a guide to the locations where that
legacy can still be found.
