Edinburgh Expert Walking Tours
  • Home
  • Private Edinburgh Walking Tours
    • Bespoke Edinburgh Tours
    • Royal Mile Tour
    • New Town Tour
    • Old and New Towns Tour
    • Tours With Paws
    • Edinburgh Tour and Whisky Tasting
  • Meet Your Guide
  • Book a Tour Online
    • Tour Pricing
    • FAQs
  • Blog

EDINBURGH EXPERT WALKING TOURS - BLOG

EDINBURGH EXPERT WALKING TOURS - BLOG

World Book Day: A City of Literature

5/3/2015

 
Picture
Edinburgh was named UNESCO’s first City of Literature in 2004, thanks to its rich and varied literary history. To mark World Book Day, here’s a rundown of some of the city’s most important writerly figures and influences…

Sir Walter Scott
Commemorated by the world’s tallest monument to a writer, standing adjacent to Waverley station (the world’s only railway station named after a literary work) on Princes Street, Scott was not only born and raised in the city but was also responsible for shaping Edinburgh’s profile as a destination for tourists.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Born locally and living for a time at 17 Heriot Row in the New Town, Stevenson wrote classic adventure titles like Treasure Island and Kidnapped, as well as the short novel The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, a template for gothic horror, as well as the book which best characterises the dual nature of Edinburgh itself.

Muriel Spark
Creator of the iconic Edinburgh girls’ teacher Jean Brodie, immortalised in the novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – played on screen by Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for the role. Showcasing locations from across the city, this book superbly represents the world of genteel Edinburgh society, as well as being a treatise on the nature of education and childhood.

JK Rowling
The famed author of the Harry Potter books was an unemployed single parent when she first drafted the books which would go on to make her one of the world’s richest women. Various locations across the city are said to have inspired her, including Fettes College and George Heriot’s School as influences on the spectacularly gothic Hogwarts Academy.

Irvine Welsh
Trainspotting raised the profile of modern Edinburgh in a way that no other recent novel could. Set in the seedy world of drug addicts and violent criminals of the Edinburgh underworld, the 1994 film, directed by Danny Boyle, also helped launch the careers of Ewan McGregor and a host of other Scottish acting talent.

These represent just a handful of the literary heritage that can be found across Edinburgh – find out more with an Up-Close and Personal Tour of the city.



Comments are closed.

    Author

    Edinburgh Expert Walking Tours is run by Gareth Davies, an adopted native of Edinburgh since 1998...

    Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

Picture
Edinburgh Expert Walking Tours
Private Edinburgh Tours 
Bespoke Edinburgh Walking Tours
​Private Royal Mile Tour
Private New Town Tour
Private Old and New Towns Tour
​Edinburgh Tour and Whisky Tasting
Edinburgh Tour Itineraries 
Meet Your Tour Guide
Prices and Booking
Blog
Terms and Conditions
FAQs
​​Book Now
​
Tours With Paws Dog-Friendly Tours​
​Edinburgh Essentials Information Directory
​Telephone: +44 (0) 131 235 2351
Email: gareth@edinburghexpert.com
​www.edinburghexpert.com © Gareth Davies, 2014-19
  • Home
  • Private Edinburgh Walking Tours
    • Bespoke Edinburgh Tours
    • Royal Mile Tour
    • New Town Tour
    • Old and New Towns Tour
    • Tours With Paws
    • Edinburgh Tour and Whisky Tasting
  • Meet Your Guide
  • Book a Tour Online
    • Tour Pricing
    • FAQs
  • Blog