Who Built Scotland

‘a fine picture of our strange and varied country’ Scotsman

‘edifying and revelatory’ Herald

‘an epic love story to Scotland’ Courier

‘by turns inspiring and fascinating … a book that gives context to the Scotland we see around us today’ Undiscovered Scotland

‘a fascinating alternative take on the country’s social, political and cultural histories’ Scottish Field *****

Kathleen Jamie, Alexander McCall Smith, Alistair Moffat, James Robertson and James Crawford travel across the country to tell the story of the nation, from abandoned islands and lonely glens to the heart of our modern cities. Whether visiting Shetland’s Mousa Broch at midsummer, following in the footsteps of pilgrims to Iona Abbey, joining the tourist bustle at Edinburgh Castle, scaling the Forth Bridge or staying in an off-the-grid eco-bothy, the authors unravel the stories of the places, people and passions that have had an enduring impact on the landscape and character of Scotland.

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of over 80 books, including
the world-famous No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and the
Scotland Street novels.

Alistair Moffat is an award-winning author of history books including Scotland: A History from Earliest Times and The Great Tapestry of Scotland.

James Crawford is the Saltire-nominated author of Fallen Glory and the presenter of the landmark BBC TV series Scotland from the Sky.

James Robertson is the Booker-longlisted author of highly acclaimed novels including And the Land Lay Still, Joseph Knight and The Testament of Gideon Mack.

Kathleen Jamie is a Saltire and Costa-winning writer of poetry and non-fiction, including The Bonniest Companie and the critically acclaimed essay collections Sightlines and Findings.