Edinburgh: The Autobiography

From one of the earliest mentions of its name in the sixth century to the Covid lockdowns of the twenty-first, this is a magnificent portrait of one of the world's great cities in its many iterations, from 'Edinburgh, the sink of abomination' to the Athens of the North and everything – including the home of the Enlightenment, the Festival City, the Aids Capital of Europe and a Mecca for tourists seeking tartan tat – in between.

As the nation's capital it has been critical to its progress and a witness to epochal events, such the tumultuous reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, the Reformation, the Forty-Five rebellion, the Disruption of the Church of Scotland and the reconvening of the Scottish Parliament. All of these and more feature. But this is not simply a book about the great and good, the famous and infamous. There is testimony aplenty from ordinary folk who may not have made their mark on history but who have contributed to Edinburgh's ever-expanding tapestry.

There are stories of body snatching and murder, drunkenness and drug-taking, sex and shopping, as well rants against inclement weather and the city council.



Alan Taylor has been a journalist for over 30 years. He was editor of the centenary editions of the collected novels of Muriel Spark and has edited several acclaimed anthologies, including The Assassin's Cloak (2000). He wrote the bestselling Appointment in Arezzo: A Friendship with Muriel Spark (2017) and also edited Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries (2022).



'This clever anthology…brings together the tales which shaped the city's colourful history from the sixth to the twenty-first century. It is an insightful, entertaining read that I would wholeheartedly recommend to those whose hearts have been lost to Auld Reekie'



'a marvellous collection of stories and accounts whose differing styles and intended purposes ensure there are delights pretty much every time you turn a page... fresh and engaging,'



'Taylor has a formidable track record of putting together revelatory, thoughtful, and eclectic anthologies...I've lived in Edinburgh for most of my adult life but Taylor's book told me much I didn't know or had never thought about'



'Alan Taylor informs, educates, and most definitely entertains as he takes you on a journey through place and time'