Edinburgh: A Cultural and Literary History

Finished this book a few months ago but wanted to write a quick recommendation. If you are thinking about purchasing this book, do it! The author gives the reader a wonderful tour through some neighborhoods that the average guide might not touch (like my great old neighbourhood of Comely Bank). I'm sure reading the book before going to Edinburgh would still be wonderful - but for one who has walked her streets for years and misses her dearly, the book brings back the thoughts, sights and smells that make the city great.

I was born and went to school in Edinburgh, but have been an exile for 30 years, visiting as often as I can. My library on Edinburgh and its history is extensive, yet every chapter of this book gave me new and fascinating details about the city, past and present. The reading style of the book is lively and approachable, with interesting quotations, and I plan to acquire my own copy as soon as this one goes back to the library, so that I can add personal notes.The information is accurate, as assessed by my visit at Easter, and the illustrations good, if a little sparse. The only addition I would suggest is a map showing how Campbell divided the city into regions, marked with the appropriate chapter numbers.