The Edinburgh International Book Festival is back tomorrow (11th-27th August) and in celebration, I thought it might be fun to share a couple of my favourite Edinburgh books with you! Just to clarify, these are not books set in Edinburgh, rather books about Edinburgh! Many of which I have come across in charity shops. (Note: If you're visiting the UK for the first time, don't be put off by charity shops, in my opinion, there's often a wealth of treasures to be uncovered!) Without any further ado, let's begin!
1. Edinburgh Picturesque Notes by Robert Louis Stevenson
If memory serves me right, I think this is one of the first books on Edinburgh I bought. I had previously read Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped and when I heard he had written about Edinburgh, I knew I had to find myself a copy! The book is non-fiction and sort of a travel book. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Stevenson, he is an Edinburgh-born author who also wrote Treasure Island.
2. The Making of Classical Edinburgh / A. J Youngson
I came across this gem of a book in a local charity shop and despite paying a little more than I would normally, it was worth it! It's not a book I read from start to finish (to be quite frank, I probably still have large chunks I haven't read), but it's a delightful book to flick through with various photos.
3. A Work of Beauty: Alexander McCall Smith's Edinburgh
I have to thank fellow Instagrammer (@1daviesdavies) for this wonderful recommendation! I couldn't believe that I hadn't heard of it. Alexander McCall Smith is a fabulous Edinburgh author and this is a simply charming and beautiful book. If I had to recommend one book off this list, I think it would have to be this one.
4. The Edinburgh New Town Gardens / Connie Byrom
In my opinion, Edinburgh New Town Gardens leans more to an academic book but is still fascinating and has the odd black and white photo. I tend to use this book as a bit of an encyclopedia. Whenever I pass a curious locked gate in the New Town, I know I can come home a look it up in this book and not only read about its history but get to have a peek inside.
5. Ghostly Tales & Sinister Stories of Old Edinburgh / Alan J. Wilson, Des Brogan, and Frank McGrail
This is the most recent addition to my Edinburgh book collection. I spotted it at a charity shop for 50p and couldn't resist bringing it home with me! I have to admit that I haven't had a chance to properly read it but I've had a flick through and I see a few familiar stories and a couple I haven't heard of.
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