Scottish Authors

The Scots have an ancient oral tradition of song and story, as well a high literacy and keenness for education. Not surprisingly, Scotland has a large number of world-renowned authors.

Sir Walter Scott is the father of historical fiction, popularizing and romanticizing the Highlanders.

Robert Burns  is the National Poet of Scotland. His life is celebrated all around the world every January with the Burn’s Supper.  Auld Lang Syne is sung every New Year’s Eve.

Robert Louis Stevenson is the author of Treasure Island, Kidnapped, charming Childhood Versus, and much more.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is one of Edinburgh’s best mystery writers basing the character of Sherlock Holmes on the physician Bell in the School of Medicine.

Sir J. M. Barrie – Author of the immortal Peter Pan.

Kenneth Grahame – Author of classic children’s tale The Wind in the Willows.

George MacDonald – 19th century romance for adults and wonderful fairy tales for children his works greatly influenced C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Muriel Spark – The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie was unforgettably performed  by Maggie Smith in the film version.

John Buchan – Writing in the first half of the 20th century, his most famous book is the spy novel The 39 Steps.

James Boswell – Chronicled the life of Samuel Johnson and their unforgettable journey through the Scottish Highlands.

James Herriot – Born in Scotland, his stories of veterinary practice in Northern England delight and enrich.

Additional Scottish Authors
Classics
David Hume
Hugh MacDiarmid
Lewis Grassic Gibbon
Neil Gunn
Sorley MacLeod
George Mackay Brown
Allan Massie
Will Napier
Allan Ramsay
Adam Smith
Tobias George Smollet

Fiction
Iain Banks
James Buchan
Billy Connolly
Douglas Dunn
Craig Fergusson
William Fiennes
Andrew Greig
Alisdair Grey
Cliff Hanley
James Kelman
A.L. Kennedy
Richard K Morgan
Alexander McCall Smith
Ali Smith
Nigel Tranter

Mysteries
Kate Atkinson
MC Beaton
Dorothy Dunnett
Michael Faber
Quintin Jardine
Alistair MacLean
Val McDermid
Stef Penny
Ian Rankin
Iain Crichton Smith
Mary Stewart
Jeff Torrington

Non-Fiction
Bruce A. McAndrew
T. C. Smout
Christopher A. Whatley
Alex Woolf

Poetry
Liz Lockhead
Edwin Morgan (Makar)
Tartan Noir
Iain Banks
Alasdair Grey
Ian Rankin
Jeff Torrington
Irvine Welsh