'Very enjoyable and rich in information . . . paints a fine picture of our strange and varied country and its history' –Scotsman
'This is a very good book; edifying and, at times, revelatory' --The Herald
'by turns inspiring and fascinating’--Undiscovered Scotland
‘All buildings are stories, one way or another.’
Scotland’s history is etched into its landscape, shaped by the people who built, lived, and worked within its walls. In Who Built Scotland, five acclaimed writers—Kathleen Jamie, Alexander McCall Smith, Alistair Moffat, James Robertson, and James Crawford—journey across the country to uncover the stories behind twenty-five remarkable places.
From abandoned islands and remote glens to the bustling heart of modern cities, each location reveals a unique chapter of Scotland’s past. Join:
- Kathleen Jamie as she searches for the first family hearths in the Cairngorms and meets the unexpected inhabitants of an Iron Age broch in Shetland.
- Alexander McCall Smith as he tours the wondrous and macabre Surgeons’ Hall and walks the sacred ground of Iona Abbey.
- Alistair Moffat as he uncovers a lost whisky village in the wilds of Strathconon and climbs through the layered history of Edinburgh Castle.
- James Robertson as he moves from the standing stones of Calanais to the humble cottage of poet Hugh MacDiarmid, via the engineering marvel of the Forth Rail Bridge.
- James Crawford as he journeys from a packed crowd in Hampden Park to an off-the-grid eco-bothy on the Isle of Eigg.
Richly woven with history, storytelling and personal insight, Who Built Scotland is a must-read for history lovers, travellers and anyone captivated by Scotland’s enduring spirit.
Alexander McCall Smith is one of the world's most prolific and popular authors. He has written over 80 books, including the 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, and a former Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
James Crawford is Publisher at HES and the Saltire-nominated author of Fallen Glory: The Lives and Deaths of the World's Greatest Lost Buildings.
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. He is also a publisher of poetry and children's books in Scots.
Kathleen Jamie is a writer of poetry and non-fiction, including the critically acclaimed essay collections Sightlines and Findings. She was the winner of the Saltire Book of the Year 2016 with The Bonniest Companie and was awarded the 2012 Costa Poetry Prize for The Overhaul.